Sophia Akuffo Advocates Extractive Policy Reform

Sophia Akuffo 

 

A member of the Council of State, Sophia Akuffo, has questioned the policy guiding the extraction of Ghana’s mineral resources and how the proceeds are apportioned between the state and foreign investors.

Speaking on TV3’s Hot Issues over the weekend, she wondered why Ghana is still entering into contracts with extractive companies on its natural resources and end up being “exploited”.

According to her, when compared, recent agreements made by the state to other jurisdictions, Ghana is overly being exploited, and has called for the agreement to be re-looked.

The former Chief Justice, described the mineral concession agreements between Ghana and foreign investors as woefully unfavourable for the country.

Madam Akuffo was commenting on the critical areas the Council of State could be looking at aside from issues that would be presented to them by the President, where she said the Constitution needs to be reviewed to tackle agreements on Ghana’s extractive industry.

“What should be our policy on our natural resources? The things under our ground which we don’t seed or feed and which belongs to us totally but when it comes to making use of it, we position ourselves to be exploited. I’m using that word very advisedly because when you read about systems and formulae used, some over ten years ago, in other jurisdictions, you keep asking yourself, ‘why are we still doing it like we are in the days of Governor Guggisberg?’” she questioned.

She bemoaned the deplorable state of the mining communities where valuable resources are being extracted without any benefit for the residents.

“You wonder and you end up with really pathetic towns where valuable mineral has been extracted for years, for decades, sometimes centuries, and when you think of the amount of gold or diamond or whatever has been mined all those years and what it has done to the town, you ask yourself what went wrong somewhere, why, and that’s something that needs to be seen to,” she emphasised.

A Daily Guide Report

The post Sophia Akuffo Advocates Extractive Policy Reform appeared first on DailyGuide Network.

Read Full Story