The new harmonised mining Act which will ensure consistent regulation of the mining sectors across the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), is expected to come into force by June this year, APA has learnt here on Thursday.
According to the report by the Ghanaian Times, the draft ECOWAS Model Mining and Minerals Development Act (EMMMDA) is currently under review.
The Act, developed by the ECOWAS Commission, is expected to be endorsed by the Heads of States of the ECOWAS before it can come into full operations.
The Commissioner of Mines and Energy of the ECOWAS Commission, Sediko Duoka, told a meeting in Accra on Wednesday that the Act would among other things, cover institutional structures and licensing permits.
It would also focus on concept on general governance, fiscal framework, local content and implementation strategy, he added.
The objective is to help salvage some of the basic challenges the mining sector in the region was facing in terms of human resources, local content policies and complex negotiations that limit the ability of local businesses to explore the mining sector.
DAP/GIK/APA