The Livelihood and Environment Ghana (LEG), an environmentally inclined non-governmental organisation, has inaugurated 15-member minerals revenue utilization campaigners in the Newmont Ahafo South Mine enclave in the Asutifi North District of the Ahafo Region.

They are tasked to monitor the judicious utilization of mining revenue, including royalties accrued from the Ahafo South mine for the benefit of the mining communities.

The campaigners were selected from Kenyase Number One, Kenyase Number Two, and OLA Resettlement Camp, all mining communities within the Newmont Ahafo South mine enclave, and would further participate actively in influencing decision-making processes in the use of the mining revenue.

Mr. Richard Adu-Poku, the Executive Director of LEG, inaugurated the campaigners at the closing session of a two-day capacity-building workshop organized for the campaigners in Sunyani and stressed the need to empower the mining communities to mobilize themselves well and contribute to development.

The LEG, according to Mr. Adu-Poku worked to promote human rights and minerals governance, campaign for environmental sustainability, and enhance sustainable livelihoods of marginalized people in society including women, girls, and Persons with Disabilities (PwDs).

He said mining had huge potential to spur rapid socio-economic growth and development, but it could also be a ‘curse’ to the local communities if revenue were not utilized wisely for the benefit of the affected communities.

Mr. Adu-Poku said the training and commissioning of the campaigners were in line with a Star Ghana Foundation-funded project the NGO was implementing to empower mining communities to influence the utilization of mineral revenue for sustainable development.

Titled “Promoting transparency and participatory governance of mineral revenue through volunteerism”, Mr. Eric Anorrey, the Programme Manager of LEG, said the implementation of the 12-month project would provide the campaigners with the necessary advocacy knowledge and skills to effectively monitor the utilization of the mining revenue in the area.

That would improve the general well-being of the people affected by mining and also bring the development of the mining communities to the next level.

It would further improve the allocation of mineral revenues towards infrastructure development, education, healthcare, environmental conservation, and other initiatives that promote the socio-economic well-being of citizens.

Besides, he said the campaigners would also be trained on effective engagement with their respective district assemblies to position them well to demand accountability for efficient and sustainable utilization of mineral revenue.

Dr. Samuel Kumi, an Environmental Scientist and Resource Governance Expert at the Department of Environmental Management, School of Natural Resources, University of Energy and Natural Resources took the campaigners through concepts of mineral revenue utilization, mineral revenue types, and regulatory frameworks.