The Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Samuel Abu Jinapor has announced the government’s readiness to enhance the exploration, prospecting, and recognizance of minerals in the Volta region.
The Minister said this during a meeting with the Volta Regional House of Chiefs at Ho on Monday, 13th September, 2021 as part of the final leg of his Nationwide tour.
Addressing the gathering, the Minister called on the Volta Regional House of Chiefs to work closely and collaboratively with him, the Ministry, and the government to help discover gold deposits in the Volta region.
He said he believes that there is nowhere in Ghana that gold cannot be found and therefore asked the Chiefs to come together and support him invest, investigating and discovering these gold deposits for the development of the region and Ghana at large.
” I am determined for us to enhance the exploration, prospecting, and recognizance of minerals here in the Volta region”.
Samuel Abu Jinapor stated that the Volta region can also produce gold in commercial quantities as the Upper East Region is currently doing with the requisite prospecting by the Minerals Commission.
The Minister went on to make a firm and solid pledge that the Ministry will work closely with the Chiefs in a formal and an administrative manner to ensure that the natural resources in the Volta Region are protected.
” Government and the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources are determined to work closely with the Regional House of Chiefs on all fronts; matters to do with the management of lands and other resources of Volta region all-inclusive. I want to commit to the House that we will work closely, paying attention to your advice, your concerns and your inputs because that is the only way we can achieve results.”
He further assured them that when these minerals are exploited, he will ensure that they benefit the Chiefs and people of the Volta Region.
The Minister stated that he wants to change the narrative of Chiefs being at the background to have them actively involved in the administration of Lands and Natural Resources of the country and therefore asked for their support saying
” I believe the traditional rulers must be the fulcrum around which land administration revolves because if you want to manage the Lands and Natural Resources of a country and do it effectively, you have to collaborate closely with the Chiefs and it’s the only way we can manage this”
The Minister employed the opportunity and announced that he will visit the region again to organize a sensitization programme on the New Land Act, (Act 2020) as a way of keeping his word and also a way of educating the Chief and getting them ready for the collaborative work of managing the Lands of the region.
Hon. Samuel A. Jinapor also stated that he is familiar and aware of the issues regarding illegal logging, sand wining, land encroachment, and forest reserves which are pestering the Volta region, and gave the assurance that it will be considered and managed.
President of the Volta Regional House of Chiefs, Togbe Tepre Hodo IV, on his part, said that he is happy that the Minister has given such high assurances.
He promised the Minister of their support saying that they are expectant for ideas from the Minister to help harness the resources in the region.
Other revered Chiefs at the meeting suggested that the laws regarding land administration be amended for Chiefs to have a legal backing which will in effect afford them the power to actively work with the government and the Ministry in the management of the Lands and Natural Resources of Ghana.
Story by:Kwaku Stephen
