The Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, has urged the Minerals Commission and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to stop the devastation of the nation's forests and water bodies through mining. He said the two bodies needed to step up their supervisory and monitoring roles to make sure that the right things were done and check the recklessness. He faulted the two institutions for not doing enough to properly supervise and monitor small-scale miners, particularly, those operating in the hinterlands.

Minister of Lands and Natural Resource, Alhaji Inussah Fuseini says the time has come for the country to diversify its traditional minerals base and exploit lesser-known industrial minerals. "We have reached a point in our growth where we will need to look beyond our the mining of traditional minerals such as gold, bauxite, diamond and manganese, and exploit lesser-known (industrial) minerals -- kaolin, salt, clay, limestone etc," he said.

A lot has been said on the need for businesses across the world to contribute to the development of communities in which they operate. The case is not different in Ghana, as a number of platforms have been set up to ensure it becomes practical.

It is a known fact that businesses cannot succeed without the constant involvement of its major stakeholder; the masses. This is why the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) agenda is viewed as a vital tool to the growth and development of businesses. One may ask, what is the CSR agenda all about? The CSR agenda relates to businesses' contribution to achieving economic; social and environmental sustainability.

The Chamber is happy to publish payments made by the mining industry in 2013. This publication is part of the Chamber's pursuit of transparency in the payments and receipts in the mining sector in Ghana. It covers direct statutory and voluntary payments made to Government, suppliers both local and foreign but locally registered in Ghana, District Assemblies and employees in 2013.