The Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Hon. Samuel A. Jinapor, MP, has made a strong case for Ghana and other mineral producing countries in Africa to create the enabling environment for businesses in the mining sector to thrive whilst advising investors that agreement leading to lobsided distribution of benefits will not be sustainable.
Contributing to a panel discussion at the ongoing Mining On Top Africa summit in Paris, France on Wednesday, July 3, 2024, Hon. Jinapor, noted that African countries owe it to themselves and the investment community to ensure that conditions are ripe for businesses to thrive.
He noted that while mineral producing countries have legitimacy to demand equity and fairness in the pricing of their minerals, they also have a resonance to create the conducive atmosphere that ensures that the investors have the confidence that their investment will continue to thrive.
He made stability and prospering governance system, strong governance and legal framework and investor-friendly economic policies some major requirements for the wooing of investors to mineral producing countries.
“Ghana, Senegal and other countries have a responsibility to create the right framework, policy and stability to attract investors.
“You will not have investors in your country and engage in resource unprofessionalism, lack proper framework and succeed. It can never happen.
“We must be bold enough to admit that we have some work to do. Talk of democracy, respect for fundamental human rights, rule of law, among others. “.
The Lands Minister also underscored the importance of the Ghana Geological Survey Authority in estimating the amount of minerals the country boasts of.
He explained that the GGSA has been integral in the growth of Ghana’s mining industry.
