CDD-Ghana train stakeholders in Obuasi on utilization of mineral royalties

The Center for Democratic Development (CDD) organized a one-day capacity-building workshop for members of the local mining committee and stakeholders involved in the utilization of mineral royalties in Obuasi.

During the workshop, a committee was inaugurated to sensitize the public about the governance structure of the local mining committee and the disbursement of mineral royalties.

Speaking to the media after the program, Emmanuel Yeboah, a research analyst at the CDD, explained that the workshop aimed to correct anomalies in the utilization of mineral royalties in Obuasi. He mentioned that this initiative followed the dissemination of a CDD report, which ranked the Obuasi Municipality sixth in the 2023 Mining District Development Scorecard (MDDS) league table, with a score of 35.4 out of 100 points.

Yeboah highlighted that the low score was due to severely weak governance practices in the municipality’s management and utilization of mineral royalties. "We decided to bring all the stakeholders together and organize this workshop to build their capacity on effectively managing the mineral royalties that come to Obuasi. We want to focus on accountability and transparency in the management of the funds," he added.

Participants included officials from the Obuasi Municipal Assembly, members of the local mining committee, representatives of CSOs, and a representative from AngloGold Ashanti.

Additionally, a committee has been formed to educate the public on the utilization of mineral royalties. Yeboah stated that this move is intended to increase accountability and transparency in managing the funds.

The report recommended labeling projects to distinguish those built by the Assembly from those done by the local mining committee.

Dr. Amina Asiedu Amoah, the chairperson of the local mining committee in the Obuasi Municipal, welcomed the CDD’s recommendations and stated that the workshop had been an eye-opener. She reiterated her committee's resolve to intensify publicity on the activities of the LMC. "We will leverage various communication channels such as social media, radio, community engagements, and religious events to disseminate information about the committee's activities," she said.