Chiefs misappropriating mineral royalties for their people – Dep. Reg. Minister 

Deputy Brong Ahafo Regional Minister, Evans Bobie, has expressed worry over how royalties accruing from mineral resources are mismanaged by some traditional authorities at the expense of the subjects.  

Mr. Bobie observed mineral royalties paid to chiefs are usually misappropriated to the disadvantage of their indigenes.

“It is worrying to see how some traditional authorities misappropriate the royalties paid to them from mineral resources and the indigenes live in abject poverty.

“If such royalties are used to develop the communities by the traditional authorities, most mining communities will not be in an impoverish state”, he noted.

He is therefore calling for an amendment of the law to give powers to the Public Interest and Accountability Committee (PIAC) to have a watchdog role over how resources given to the chiefs are utilised.

Per the Petroleum Revenue Management Act [815] PIAC among other things ensures the efficient management of the petroleum revenues for sustainable development.

In the view of the Deputy Regional Minister, empowering PIAC to have the mandate to monitor how mineral resources are managed by the chiefs would be beneficial to their subjects and communities.

The Deputy Minister made the suggestion when a team of PIAC members led by its Chairman, Dr. Steve Manteaw and selected members of the Institute of Financial and Economic Journalists (IFEJ) called on him at the Regional Coordinating Council.

PIAC and IFEJ are in the Brong Ahafo Region to inspect some oil funded projects in the region released by the Ministry of Finance in 2016.

Dr Steve Manteaw welcomed the suggestion for amendment of the PRMA Act 815 but added President Akufo-Addo has also called for a conversation regarding the operations of PIAC

“It is welcoming for such a suggestion to be coming from you but the President has also called for a public forum to deliberate on the mandate of PIAC.

“If at the end of the public forum, our mandate is extended per the views of Ghanaians we will do what is expected of us in monitoring how our mineral resources are also managed”, he said.

He explained that until the mandate is extended, PIAC can only monitor and report on how oil revenues are been utilized for the benefit of all Ghanaians.

By Beatrice Spio-Garbrah |3news.com|Ghana