The National Coordinator of the National Alternative Employment and Livelihood Programme (NAELP), Engineer Frank Pedro Asare, has announced government’s plan to introduce a cooperative mining schemes in mining communities across the country.

According to him, the move is part of efforts by government to offer alternative livelihoods to locals in mining areas who are forced to embrace illegal mining as a means of livelihood.

Speaking on Accra-based Radio XYZ on Monday, June 30, Mr Asare explained that one of the major causes of illegal mining is the lack of viable job opportunities for the teeming unemployed youth in rural communities.

This he said, is one of the key concerns of the incoming cooperative mining scheme, which forms part of measures to deal decisively with galamsey.

“Once cabinet approves it, the existing National Alternative Employment Livelihood Programme (NAELP) will now be known as the Cooperative Mining and Skills Development Programme (COMSDEP), which will rectify the shortfalls of both NAELP and community mining in a more comprehensive manner with six different layers to offer alternative economic avenues to those engage in illegal mining”, Engineer Asare explained in the local Twi dialect.

He further added that, when the cooperative mining scheme finally comes into force, it will compliment other interventions by government such as the National Anti-illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS) to help address galamsey.

He also disclosed that the new cooperative mining scheme will include land reclamation as part of its operations, as well the non-usage of mercury and other harmful chemicals in mining operations.

At the moment, it is estimated that about 16% of the Ghana’s land reserves have been depleted due to the activities of illegal miners.

This is in addition to the pollution of notable water bodies across major flashpoints in the Ashanti, Central, Western North, Eastern and other regions nationwide.

Meanwhile government says it is working around the clock to combat the menace through a five-prong approach currently being implemented by the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources.

This approach includes the reformation of the mining licensing regime, reclamation of depleted lands, strengthening of law enforcement, deepening of education and the provision of alternative livelihoods.