The government of Ghana has approved a new national programme aimed at reforming small-scale mining and creating sustainable jobs across the country.
Known as the Responsible Cooperative Mining and Skills Development Programme (rCOMSDEP), the initiative is an upgrade of the existing Community Mining Scheme and the National Alternative Employment and Livelihood Programme.
According to a release by the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources, the new programme will focus on supporting locally owned mining cooperatives with training, legal concessions, and access to modern equipment.
It will also help eliminate harmful practices like the use of mercury by introducing safe, centralised gold processing centres.
Beyond mining, the programme will provide technical, agricultural, digital, and entrepreneurial training to women and young people to open up more job opportunities.
It will also support land restoration, agriculture, and the development of social infrastructure like water systems, schools, health facilities, and clean energy projects in mining communities.
By: Jacob Aggrey
