GRA receives GHC645 million tax from the mining sector
The mining industry paid GHC645 million in corporate tax to the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) and this represents 36.26% of the total company tax collected in 2011.
As the number one tax payer and the highest contributor to the GRA in the country, the sector again contributed about GHC1 billion to the GRA representing 27.61% of the total GRA collections in the same year.
Dr. Tony Aubyn, Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Chamber of Mines, said this in a speech read on his behalf at the apprenticeship graduation, promotion and matriculation ceremony of Newmont’s apprenticeship programme at the company’s plant site at Kenyasi in the Asutifi District.
Forty-six new apprentices selected from the 10 mine-take communities were enrolled to pursue the four-year apprenticeship progrmme in mechanical engineering and 26 trainees graduated.
The mine-take communities are Kenyasi Number One, Kenyasi Number Two, Ntotroso, Gyedu, Wamahinso in Asutifi and Adrobaa, Techire, Afrisipakrom, Yamfo and Susuanso in the Tano North districts.
Dr. Aubyn said between 2003 and 2011 there had been a sharp increase in royalties mining companies had been paying to the government and that royalties had jumped from GHC19, 054,625 to GHC218, 922,903 during the period.
Notwithstanding these contributions to the sector, he said, the increasing activities of illegal mining operators continued to be a threat to the good image of the industry.
“Due to this menace, member companies continue to spend huge sums of money yearly to protect their concessions which have often been the targets of these illegal miners”, he said.
Dr. Aubyn gave the assurance that the chamber would persist in its advocacy to promote legal small scale mining and also engage policy makers and other stakeholders on the negative repercussions of this menace.
Mr. Kwadwo Nyamekye-Marfo, the Brong-Ahafo Regional Minister, appealed to the continuing trainees and the in-coming ones to remain focused and make the best use of the opportunity.
He appealed to management of Newmont and the employees to always resort to social engagement through dialogue for resolving grievances to promote a peaceful working environment to achieve increased productivity.
Mr. Nyamekye-Marfo also appealed to the traditional rulers and the communities in the operational area to cooperate with Newmont for peaceful co-existence.
The External Relations Manager on the mine, Mr. Kojo Bedu-Addo, said the apprenticeship programme was established during the construction phase of the mine in 2005.
He said $25,000 was spent on each of the apprentices during the four-year training period.
www.gra.gov.gh
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