Ghana Chamber of Mines launches 2025 sustainability month
By Praisebell Rosemond Larbi
The Ghana Chamber of Mines has officially launched the 2025 edition of its annual Sustainability Month at the Lancaster City Hotel in Kumasi, marking a renewed commitment to the integration of responsible practices within Ghana’s mining sector.
The event, attended by industry leaders, policymakers, and environmental advocates, highlighted the Chamber’s dedication to balancing economic growth with environmental stewardship and social inclusion.
Delivering the keynote address, the Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Chamber of Mines, Ing. Dr Kenneth Ashigbey, reaffirmed the industry’s central role in Ghana’s economy but cautioned that its success ought not to be measured solely by mineral output.
“Mining has been the backbone of Ghana’s economy for over a century. But we are judged, not by ounces extracted, but by the quality of lives transformed,” he said.
Over the past decade (2014–2023), Ghana’s total mineral revenue exceeded USD40.15 billion, with over USD29 billion reinvested into the local financial system through the Bank of Ghana and commercial banks.
The industry also invested more than USD220 million in corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives, spanning education, health, and community infrastructure.
In 2024 alone, fiscal payments from the sector reached GHD17.7 billion, representing a 51.2 per cent increase over 2023. Dividends to the state surged by more than 600 per cent to GHS1.03 billion, while mineral royalties rose by nearly 77 per cent, from GHS2.8 billion to GHS4.9 billion.
“These figures represent more than economic performance. They serve as a foundation for national development and shared prosperity,” Dr Ashigbey noted.
He also addressed the challenges surrounding artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM), noting that while ASM provides livelihoods, its unregulated nature poses environmental risks.
Dr Ashigbey called for the formalisation of ASM operations within a sustainable framework in alignment with national development goals.
Quoting the late Kofi Annan, Dr Ashigbey reminded participants that “development, security, and human rights are interdependent,” stressing that sustainability must serve as the moral compass for Ghana’s extractive sector.
He added: “Together, we can build a mining ecosystem that is not only profitable but also principled; not only productive but protective of the environment and society.”
The Chamber’s 2025 theme, ‘Mining Responsibly, Sustaining the Future,’ reflects its mission to embed Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) principles at the heart of mining operations. Under this framework, the Chamber aims to invest in clean energy technologies, improve waste management, uphold human rights, and ensure transparency in benefit-sharing.
As part of Sustainability Month, a series of nationwide initiatives will be rolled out, including community outreach, environmental clean-up exercises, educational campaigns, digital advocacy, and stakeholder dialogues to reinforce the industry’s dedication to inclusive growth.
