Accra: Dr. Hanna Louisa Bissiw, the Administrator of Ghana’s Minerals Development Fund (MDF), has announced a significant initiative aimed at training and equipping over 2,500 young people from mining communities this year. The program is designed to empower youth, promote sustainable development, and enhance community engagement in mining areas.
According to Ghana News Agency, the initiative was unveiled by Dr. Bissiw during a stakeholder forum. The program will focus on skills development in areas such as drone fabrication for agricultural purposes, aquaculture, and poultry farming. Dr. Bissiw emphasized that these efforts are part of MDF’s broader strategy to provide alternative livelihoods and redirect youth from illegal mining activities.
Dr. Bissiw also highlighted that individuals with disabilities would be trained in the manufacturing and use of drones for spraying farmlands, which will improve modern farming techniques. Youth participants will receive training in aquaculture and be provided with startup kits to initiate their own fish farming operations. To support this initiative, MDF is establishing a 100,000-capacity fish farm with a dedicated processing plant, and off-takers have been secured to ensure a market for the farm produce, facilitating income generation and business sustainability for the trainees.
In the poultry farming sector, the program will involve youth cooperatives focusing on both broilers and layers. Dr. Bissiw explained that broilers could yield a profit potential of 45 to 50 percent every 35 days if managed effectively. The initiative aims to change the perception of agriculture from mere survival to a viable, profitable venture.
MDF’s strategy includes collaboration with traditional leaders to secure land banks for development. Once land is released by chiefs, it will be registered in the name of the Minerals Development Fund and used to establish youth agricultural cooperatives. These groups will be supported with seedlings, technical assistance, and equipment to enhance productivity and ensure long-term success.
A ‘polluter pays’ principle is also being introduced by the Fund, targeting illegal miners and companies responsible for environmental damage. Dr. Bissiw stated that entities causing pollution must repair the damage or bear the costs, ensuring that the government is not left to cover these expenses. A task force has been established to ensure mining companies pay their royalties, report revenues transparently, and adhere to legal requirements.
Dr. Bissiw further mentioned that MDF plans to engage proactively with communities, chiefs, and future mining companies to establish fair community benefit agreements before any extraction begins, particularly with the upcoming lithium site. MDF is also partnering with private investors and stakeholders to enhance community development and education, including plans to offer scholarships for students from mining communities and invest in quality schooling for a better future.
The overarching goal of these initiatives is to provide the youth with hope and motivate them to move away from illegal mining, laying a foundation for a future characterized by opportunity, sustainability, and accountability.
