The Lands and Natural Resources Minister, Samuel Abu Jinapor has said the yet to be launched National Alternative Employment and Livelihood Programme will create 800,000 jobs for persons in mining areas.
According to him, the programme seeks to find alternative jobs for persons who were engaged in illegal mining, popularly called galamsey.
The National Alternative Employment and Livelihood Programme was announced by the Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta on Thursday, July 29, 2021, during the mid-year budget review presentation in Parliament.
He said the initiative, which would target mainly illegal miners displaced by the ongoing efforts to sanitise the mining industry, would also include apprenticeship, skills training, and entrepreneurship; responsible, viable and sustainable community mining.
“We are determined to ensure the responsible or sustainable exploitation of the lands and natural resources of our country”.
“With these interventions, the government seeks to develop an efficient, robust, land administration anchored on integrity, which responds to the needs of the citizenry and contributes to the development of the national economy,” he said.
Speaking to Citi News to throw more light on the initiative, Samuel Abu Jinapor said the move is part of government plans to find jobs for persons affected by the government’s fight against illegal mining.
He added, the initiative will also help the government in reclaiming the destroyed lands.
“It is a programme that seeks to provide employment to illegal miners who have fallen out of the crash. We are going to reclaim the lands. We will also have agricultural, agro-processing, apprenticeship, community mining and mining support services. This will help create 800,000 jobs in the five mining regions of our country.”