Ghana and Burkina Faso commit to facilitating mining activities in their respective countries

The Minister for Lands and Natural Resources Minister, Samuel Abu Jinapor says Ghana and Burkina Faso will constitute a joint technical team to facilitate mining operations in both countries.

This he explains will bring mutual advancement to the sector.

According to the former deputy Chief of Staff, Ghana is prepared to collaborate with Burkina Faso for the exploitation of natural resources in both countries, for the ultimate benefit of the citizens.

The Lands Minister indicated that, “the capital flight affecting Burkina Faso and Ghana in the area of mining is disturbing and we must work to solve it”.

Mr Samuel Abu Jinapor stated this when the Burkina Faso Minister for Energy, Mines, and Quarry, Dr Bachir Ismael Ouedraogo, called on him in Accra.

He maintained that, the relationship between the President of Ghana, Nana Akufo-Addo and his Burkinabe counterpart Roch Marc Christian Kabore will further strengthen bilateral ties between the two nations.

On his part, Dr. Bachir Ismael Ouedraogo embraced the call for a proposed Memorandum of Understanding between the two nations, adding that, Burkina Faso and Ghana’s collaboration on mining will mean that “the African is solving the African problem”.

Other issues discussed at the meeting include the setting up of a refinery in Burkina Faso to add value to minerals and the urgent call to join forces to explore other key areas of mutual interest.

The Burkinabe Minister expressed keen interest in how Ghana was able to formulate her local content regulations (Minerals and Mining (local content and local participation) regulations 2020, LI 2431) in the sub-regions with Burkina Faso becoming a fast-mining destination.

Some of the benefits of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), will include getting young people from Burkina Faso to understudy their Ghanaian counterparts in the mining sector.

The three-member delegation led by the Energy, Mines, and Quarry Minister also included the Burkina Faso Ambassador to Ghana, H. E. Pingrenoma Zagre.

Meanwhile, the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Samuel Abu Jinapor has today March 16, 2021, inaugurated a seven-member Ministerial Planning Committee chaired by Benito Owusu-Bio, the Member of Parliament for Atwima- Nwabiagya North Constituency.

The committee is responsible for the organisation of the National Consultative Dialogue on Small Scale Mining as directed by President Akufo-Addo.