The CEO of the Ghana Chamber of Mines, Sulemanu Koney, has highlighted the frustrations faced by district and municipal assemblies due to irregular and unpredictable royalty payments from the mining industry.

During an interview on Joy News’ PM Express Business Edition on September 19, 2024, he explained that the inconsistency in royalty payments severely hampers the ability of local planners to develop long-term strategies for their communities.

“Go ask the planners at the various district and municipal assemblies about the planning challenges they face. The money doesn’t come regularly, and even when it does, what is it used for?” he said.

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He pointed out that most of the royalties end up being used for recurrent expenditures, such as waste management, rather than critical development projects.

“The uncertainty around when the money will come and how much will arrive makes it difficult for planners to design and execute meaningful development plans,” Mr Koney added.

This unpredictability, coupled with the inadequate size of the funds, leaves local assemblies struggling to create sustainable development initiatives.

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Mr Koney urged the government to address these issues, stating, “Government receives quite a chunk of the mining revenue, and they need to come to the party. We can’t leave everything on the shoulders of the mining companies.”