Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Samuel Jinapor, has reaffirmed the government’s strong commitment to collaborating with Women in Mining Ghana and industry stakeholders to drive meaningful changes for a more inclusive and prosperous mining sector.
During a National Policy Dialogue organized by Women in Mining Ghana in Accra on March 21, 2024, under the theme “Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging: Actions for the Mining Sector,” Mr Jinapor emphasized the importance of empowering women, aligning with recent International Women’s Day celebrations.
He highlighted Ghana’s significant mining history and its crucial role in the national economy, expressing the government’s vision to position Ghana as Africa’s primary mining hub.
Mr Jinapor emphasized inclusivity and justice in expanding industry participation, commending Women in Mining Ghana for its advocacy and commitment to industry values. He also noted women’s substantial contributions to the mining sector, citing examples such as catering services, which generate significant revenue.
In terms of economic empowerment, the Minister highlighted the need to create opportunities for women in all aspects of the industry, including administration and leadership roles. He emphasized the importance of training and education support, particularly in fields like geology and chemical engineering, to enhance women’s participation and advancement in the sector.
“So I charge the Women in Mining to pay particular attention to training because part of inclusion is training and educating the women to become part of the process from the very beginning. Taking relevant programmes that will make them qualified from the word go so that there is no reason not to include them”
Expressing determination to align government policies with the needs of women in mining, Hon. Jinapor called for collaborative efforts to enhance inclusivity and promote women’s success in the sector.
“There is the need to come together to twick polices and practices that promote gender equality, creating opportunities for women to advance in their careers, and fostering a culture of respect and inclusivity within mining companies”. He added.
The Minister in his statement reaffirmed the ministry’s commitment to fostering an environment conducive to women’s advancement, echoing the sentiment that when women succeed, the nation prospers.
The Chairman of the occasion, Mrs. Judy Nakuor Crayem, CEO of Rapport Services and Member of the Board of the Minerals Commission in addressing the state of women in artisanal mining noted that, although women constitute 50% of labour in the mining sector, they are left out in critical decision making in the industry.
She affirmed that challenges faced by women can be dealt with by providing a level playing field without discrimination for all women in the sector.
Mrs. Crayem announced that, WIM in partnership with Ghana National Association of Small-Scale mining (GNASSM) are offering women other avenues for training in jewellery making and lapidary as a alternative livelihood and also as a way to address the lagging issues in the mining industry.
The President of Women in Mining, Ghana, Mrs. Georgette Barnes Sakyi-Addo, in her welcome statement explained that subsequent to significant researches made, aimed at shining light on the realities faced by women in the mining sector, challenges such as access to information, financial resources, and inadequate policies to support active involvement have been identified.
The President continued that the policy dialogue is not just to acknowledge the challenges, but to focus on actionable solutions.
She called on all stakeholders and participants to take the agenda of diversity, inclusion and belonging forward, not just within borders but to the broader African Union and ECOWAS.”Let us make this a collective effort, a united stand for a more inclusive and prosperous mining sector”
There were also Solidarity messages given by other Presidents of Women in Mining Africa from Congo, Niger, Nigeria and Namibia.