A differential mineral right fee structure which requires Ghanaians to pay an average of at most 10 per cent of what foreign applicants would pay is in place to address the difficulty of Ghanaians to initiate investment in mining, Mr. Kofi Tetteh, Principal Policy, Planning and Programme Officer of the Minerals Commission, has said.
He was speaking at a two-day capacity building workshop on Natural Resource and Environmental Governance (NREG) for journalists in the Western Region.
Mr Tetteh said the policy had been successful at attracting Ghanaians and that Ghanaians accounted for about two thirds of about 200 exploration right holders.
He said the policy had been so abused by speculators that it is being reviewed.
He said from 2002 to date, out of some 100 registered mine support service companies Ghanaian companies represent less than 30 per cent.
Mr Tetteh said areas in which Ghanaians should stamp their authority and be the preferred provider of choice include the provision of catering, transport and security services for the mining industry.
Mr Tetteh said domestic processing of mineral products is virtually non-existent in the country and although gold has been mined for over a century in the country, there is no major refinery for the producers.
<<Print>>