Ghana is enhancing local content participation in its mining industry to maximize mineral resource benefits. This includes supporting small-scale miners, promoting local procurement, and implementing key policy reforms. The Mining in Motion Summit will showcase local mining entities’ contributions to economic growth, while the small-scale gold mining sector has generated considerable employment and export revenue.
Ghana is actively enhancing local content participation in its mining sector to optimize the benefits derived from mineral resources. By promoting support for small-scale miners and ensuring that international firms hire and train local workers, the country aims to boost employment, generate revenue for local businesses, and drive GDP growth through mining sector expansion.
The upcoming Mining in Motion Summit, scheduled for June 2-4, 2025, in Accra, will focus on the contributions of local mining entities. The event will highlight collaboration between the government and international partners, emphasizing the importance of increased local participation in fostering economic growth.
Ghana’s push for local involvement is producing significant outcomes; the small-scale gold mining sector currently employs approximately one million people, with an additional 4.5 million supported indirectly. This sector generated over $5 billion in export revenue in 2024, showcasing its impact on the economy.
To bolster local players further, the government has implemented vital policy reforms along with financing and skills training programs. Notably, in January 2025, Ghana announced the establishment of the Gold Board, set to launch in March 2025, to consolidate gold production from small-scale and industrial projects for international exports, thereby facilitating funding for small-scale miners through gold sale certificates.
In August 2024, Ghana introduced a Cooperative Mining Policy aimed at forming community mining cooperatives. These cooperatives will provide essential training, register miners, and issue concessions to promote job creation and formalize the mining sector.
Additionally, the Environmental Protection Agency and the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources acquired World Bank funding in April 2024 for the Ghana Landscape Restoration and Small-Scale Mining Project, aimed at enhancing the formalization of small-scale mining via District Mining Committees. The Minerals and Mining (Local Content & Local Participation) Regulations of 2020 mandate international firms to procure local goods and services, thus increasing local participation in mining projects.
Ongoing large-scale projects such as Goldstone’s Homase Mine, Atlantic Lithium’s Ewoyaa Project, Cardinal Namdini Gold Mine, and Newmont’s Ahafo North Project are strengthening local content engagement within Ghana’s mining sector. The Mining in Motion Summit will provide a crucial platform for high-level discussions and networking centered on local content development in the industry.
Ghana is making notable strides in enhancing local content participation within its mining sector. The government is focusing on policy reforms, local procurement, and community initiatives to support small-scale miners and create jobs. Key projects and the upcoming Mining in Motion Summit will further facilitate discussions on local content development, ensuring a beneficial impact on the economy and the mining industry.
Original Source: africanminingmarket.com
