Tamale: The Institute of Public Policy Initiatives (IPPI) has called for reforms in the country’s extractive sector, urging greater citizen engagement, transparency, and the adoption of a national Local Production Policy (LPP). It said such a policy would help transform raw mineral extraction into inclusive industrial growth.
According to Ghana News Agency, this was contained in a statement issued by IPPI, signed by Dr Ahmed Saeed, its Executive Director, and copied to the agency in Tamale. The statement underscored the urgent need for a people-centred approach to resource governance. It raised concern over the disconnect between the wealth generated from natural resources and the persistent underdevelopment of the communities where those resources were extracted.
The statement emphasized that the real wealth of a nation lies not only in its natural resources but also in the capacity of its people to benefit meaningfully and equitably from them. It advocated for placing people at the center of governance. The statement also highlighted the need for two critical pieces of legislation: a mineral extraction and resource governance framework to regulate revenue flows and ensure fair distribution of resources across national and local levels, and a LPP Framework to encourage value addition through industrial innovation and local processing before export.
Despite the extractive sector’s significant contribution to the country’s GDP, local communities continue to suffer from environmental degradation, poor infrastructure, and limited participation in governance. These issues must be urgently addressed to build trust and promote equitable development. The statement called on Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assemblies to take proactive steps in enhancing local governance, including establishing or strengthening District Transparency and Accountability Platforms to make public mineral revenue data and expenditure.
The statement further urged the institutionalization of inclusive planning and budgeting processes that involve women, youth, persons with disabilities, and traditional leaders. It also called on key Ministries, including Trade and Industry, Lands and Natural Resources, and Environment, Science, Technology, and Innovation, to back the enactment of a Local Production Policy. The proposed policy should require mining companies to meet minimum local processing thresholds and promote investments in mineral research, technology transfer hubs, and vocational training systems.