Prioritize value addition to extractives – Abu Jinapor tells industry players

The Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Samuel Abu Jinapor, has rehashed calls for players within the mining industry to consider value addition to extractives exported out of the country.

According to him, this will ensure that the country gets the full benefit of the mining industry.

He contends that the narrative of naturally endowed countries being caught in the web of poverty needs to change as stakeholders make efforts to move from the rhetoric of industrialization.

Speaking at the opening of the Ghana Mining & Energy Summit on June 7 in Accra, organized by the Ghana Chamber of Mines, Mr.  Jinapor charged the various actors in the mining and energy industry to commit to sustainable operations.

“The mining industry continues to be the bulwark of our economy; with gold alone contributing 6.6 billion USD in export receipt last year. In the past few years, the energy sector has also been a major contributor to our economy.

“The hard truth, however, is that we have not benefited optimally from these two sectors as we should. The convergence of these two industries presents a unique opportunity to shape our destiny and build a sustainable and prosperous nation using clean energy and responsible mining practices. We must unlock the full potential of our mining and energy sectors for our domestic industrialization,” he said.