Hon. Benito Owusu-Bio
The Deputy Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, chargeable for Lands and Forestry, Hon. Benito Owusu-Bio says authorities is totally dedicated to making sure that mineral deposits found within the Oti Region are exploited and utilised for the advantage of the individuals of Oti particularly, and Ghanaians normally.
The Deputy Minister made this declaration on the ground of Parliament when he was answering questions on behalf of the Sector Minister, Hon. Samuel A. Jinapor on Wednesday, twenty third, November, 2022.
Hon. Benito in his reply on steps being taken by the Ministry to operationalize mining of minerals found within the Oti Region, stated authorities remains to be on the exploratory stage of the mining worth chain of the iron ore mineral. “Currently, the Ghana Integrated Iron and Steel Development Corporation (GIISDEC), the statutory body responsible for the promotion and development of an integrated iron and steel industry in the country, is undertaking mineral resource estimation at one of the seven blocks in the Gyamurume and Wawaso areas” He added
He continued that Satellite scans have been accomplished, and mapping and geophysical surveys are underway which he stated is anticipated to be accomplished inside a yr and half, noting that thus far, ten (10) individuals from the local people have been employed.
In addition to iron ore, he allueded that the Ghana Geological Survey Authority (GGSA) is finishing up geological investigations into limestone deposits to outline and quantify their financial potential for exploitation.
He assured the House that earlier than any critical mining actions start within the Region, the Ministry will make sure that all the required measures are put in place to forestall any illegalities that may negetively influence the atmosphere as seen elsewhere.
Still on the mining sector, Hon. Benito touted plenty of measures authorities has put in place to mitigate the unlawful mining menace, noting that these measure may cross as progress goverment has made within the battle in opposition to the menace.
“Government has implemented several policies and programmes aimed at coming to grips with this canker. We declared river bodies as red zones for mining, banned reconnaissance, prospecting and/or exploration in Forest Reserves, launched Operation Halt II to rid river bodies and forest reserves of illegal mining activities, introduced speed boats and river guards to patrol and protect our river bodies, banned the manufacture, sale and/or use of the floating platform, popularly referred to as Changfan, enhanced the punishment regime for persons involved in illegal mining, revamped Community Mining Schemes and developed an Operational Manual to regulate their operations.”
Answering the questions of disposal of presidency Lands, he reiterate that, as has been the case in all governments underneath the Fourth Republic, authorities has disposed of some landed properties since 2017. He was nonetheless fast so as to add that as to the variety of transactions, the beneficiaries, and worth of these transactions, he’ll rely wholly, on earlier solutions given on third February, seventh June, and twenty eighth June, 2022, as captured within the Hansard for these days.
He additionally made it clear that when the Lands Commission, who’re the repository of those info, finishes compiling the data, together with these regarding earlier years already requested by the House, he’ll furnish the House with the knowledge.
On the query of why authorities issued an Executive Instrument (E.I. 144) to declassify 40% of Achimota Forest Reserve and the way Lands in these Reserve space had been already demarcated and offered out to people, the Deputy Minister gave a historic background to the matter and pressured that Achimota Forest is an integral a part of Government’s plan for the safety of our forest cowl and our agenda for aggressive afforestation and reforestation, and the Government of President Akufo-Addo, stays totally dedicated to its safety and correct administration.
He due to this fact gave an assurance to the House that Government will act on any improper acquisition of public lands, no matter the way it was procured, whether or not now or prior to now, and the Achimota Forest Lands is not going to be an exception.
Hon. Owusu-Bio pressured emphatically that Public lands aren’t on the market and for that matter the Akufo-Addo authorities has not offered lands to any establishments, teams of individuals or personal people.
Speaking to the query of amount and whereabouts of the confiscated rosewood which is claimed to have been donated to National Cathedral, he stated as introduced on thirtieth July 2022 by the sector Minister that each one Rosewood confiscated can be donated in the direction of the development of the National Cathedral, “since this date, twelve level 5 (12.5) containers, containing an estimated wooden quantity of Two Hundred and Fifty cubic metres (250m3) of Rosewood, have been confiscated and donated to the National Cathedral Project and this consists of the 5 containers impounded on seventeenth June, 2021 at Tema Port.
He implored the home that for safety causes, all Rosewood donated to the National Cathedral Project are saved on the Forestry Commission Depot, in Achimota, stating that as and when the Project requires wooden, they may make use of those confiscated wooden.
The Deputy Minister assured the House, and the nice individuals of Ghana, that “our management of the natural resources of our country, including Rosewood, will continue to be anchored on the highest standards of transparency, integrity and candour for the benefit of the Ghanaian people, the owners of these resources”.
