Mahama promises to use artificial intelligence to combat illegal mining

The 2024 flagbearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), H.E John Dramani Mahama, has promised that the next NDC administration will use Artificial Intelligence  (AI) to combat galamsey.

Mahama made this known while addressing the 3rd Annual Transformational Dialogue on Small-scale Mining at the University of Energy and Natural Resources (UENR) in Sunyani as the Guest of Honour.

He noted that the government would use “AI[artificial intelligence] to locate all small-scale mining and galamsey operations, track excavators and geofence all concessions.” That according to Mahama will help coordinate and monitor illegal mining activities within the small-scale mining sector to curb environmental destruction.

Mr Mahama added that a special fund will be established to create a mining equipment pool for sustainable exploitations in mining areas.

“A special revolving fund will be established with the private sector to provide capital and a mining equipment pool in each district where gold mining is prevalent. This will facilitate easy and affordable access to relevant mining equipment.”

Apart from using artificial intelligence to combat illegal mining, Mahama also stressed that the next NDC administration will achieve its promises by implementing the recently announced Ghana Mining Excellence Centre (GMEC), which Mr Mahama indicated will be coordinated by UENR and UMaT [University of Mines and Technology].

“To support all these brilliant initiatives and ensure that we are implementing them as best as possible, I have announced the launch of a Ghana Mining Excellence Centre (GMEC), to be run initially for five years and which will be coordinated by UENR and UMaT.

“As I have envisioned it, the Centre will collaborate with scientists from other universities worldwide to implement joint research and innovation projects that will simulate green growth within the Ghanaian mining and minerals industry,” he stated.