UENR holds 3rd annual transformational dialogue on small-scale mining

The University of Energy and Natural Resources (UENR) has held its third annual transformational dialogue on small-scale mining at the institution’s main campus in Sunyani.

This year’s dialogue, which was graced by the Vice-President, Mahamudu Bawumia, was held under the theme: “Mapping Our Nation's Mining Vision and the Future of Illegal Mining.”

Speaking at the event, the Vice-Chancellor of UENR, Dr. Prof. Elvis Asare-Bediako, noted that emergence of increasing global demand for critical minerals, alongside precious metals and minerals, signals the rise of second-page opportunities.

He stated that critical minerals are poised to become even more crucial as the world strives to enhance energy security and domestic industrial resilience, adding that in this current era of prioritizing renewable and sustainable energy conservation, consumption, and production, UENR holds unparalleled relevance.

Opportunities
“Once again, our soils and rocks are prime targets to meet this global demand. However, significant questions loom: How are we preparing to seize these second-page opportunities? Are we addressing poverty, hunger, joblessness, unequal opportunities, irresponsible consumption and production, and land degradation?”, he asked.

He explained that the overarching objective of this year's multistakeholder dialogue is to spark discussions on developing our country's mining vision, saying: “This initiative aims to ensure that Ghana's mineral wealth contributes to sustainable development and fosters enduring prosperity.”

The Vice-Chancellor stated that UENR holds a vested interest in helping to address the challenges facing the African mining sector and chart a path forward due to its mandate of enhancing the natural resource sector to drive sustainable development across all sectors of the economy.

This, he said, can be achieved through human resource capacity development, research, and outreach initiatives.

Small-scale mining
“Of particular concern is artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM), as part of our mandate involves devising strategies for poverty alleviation. Despite the relative prosperity of some artisanal and small-scale miners compared to their fellow citizens, the communities in which they operate often remain impoverished. This reality is not unique to ASM communities alone; it also extends to the host communities of many large-scale mining operations”, he said.

He expressed the hope that this year’s consultative dialogue will play a crucial role in shaping a positive, equitable, and competitive mining vision for our nation.

“I firmly believe that such a vision will enable us to maximize the benefits derived from our mineral resources. However, I am aware that the success of a Ghana Country Mining Vision hinges largely on achieving national consensus on its underlying principles, goals, and strategies”, he added.

Dr. Prof. Asare-Bediako called on the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources, Minerals Income Investment Fund, Minerals Commission, and the Ghana Chamber of Mines to collaborate closely with UENR’s School of Mines to advance this national agenda, adding that: “It is evident within our context that mining is indispensable for meeting the needs and aspirations of both current and future generations.”

The Vice-president, Dr. Bawumia commended UENR for instituting the dialogue and pledged the government’s continuing efforts to tackling the bottlenecks associated with artisanal and small-scale mining in the country.