The Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Alhaji Inusah Fuseini (MP) has given firm assurance that the Government of Ghana will take necessary steps to join the Group of Voluntary Principles on Security and Human Rights to boost its image as a beacon of democracy on the African continent.
Alhaji Fuseini emphasised that Ghana stood to derive immense support by signing up as participating government to the group currently chaired by the Swiss government particularly technical assistance for re-engineering the small scale mining industry and enhance regulation of the extractive industry in Ghana as a whole.
The Minister gave the assurance during a courtesy call by His Excellency Andrea Semadeni, Switzerland Ambassador to Ghana with additional accreditation for Togo and Benin.
A press release from Charles Wereko, the Public Relations Officer of the Ministry said the Ambassador, who is currently winding his three-year duty tour to Ghana, called to sensitise the Minister to enable him throw his weight behind efforts to get Ghana to join the group.
The Voluntary Principles (VP) are a set of principles used by governments with an interest in the operations of extractive industries, to guide such companies in maintaining the safety and the security of their operations within an operating framework that encourages respect for human rights. Implementation of VP principles is an important vehicle for the protection of human rights and the prevention of conflicts.
The Minister affirmed that the Government of Ghana was committed to strengthening its strategic relations with the Swiss government and described Switzerland as a major and a long-standing trading post for key agricultural products and gold produced in Ghana.
Alhaji Fuseini was optimistic that Ghana would sign up to the voluntary principles not only to take advantage of immense opportunities provided by the group to strengthen relevant state institutions to enhance its democratic dispensation but would also ensure that the voice of the nation which is acclaimed worldwide as a giant in the mining industry, is be heard at international forums.
To facilitate the process, the Minister announced that a Cabinet Memo detailing benefits to be derived from joining the Voluntary Principles Group would be formulated by the Ministry for consideration of government and for subsequent ratification of the initiative as a treaty by Parliament.
On his part, Ambassador Semadeni revealed that the Group was working fervently on signing on four countries in Africa namely Nigeria, Ghana, Congo and South Africa in the current year because it offered an ideal framework for NGOs, extractives companies, civil society, government and all stakeholders to jointly address challenges that militate against the promotion of human rights in order to make a lasting impact on security.
The Swiss envoy assured the government of Ghana of his government’s commitment to strengthening Switzerland-Ghana bilateral relations to forge collaboration between the two countries at all levels.
The ambassador was accompanied by Christoph Carpenter, Political Attache of the Embassy of Switzerland.