GHANA LAND RESTORATION AND SMALL-SCALE MINING PROJECT DISCLOSURE OF STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT PLAN (SEP, RESETTLEMENT POLICY FRAMEWORK AND PROCESS FRAMEWORK (RPF &PF), AND ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL MANAGEMENT FRAMEWORK (ESMF)

MINISTRY OF LANDS AND NATURAL RESOURCES AND MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATION (THROUGH ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY)

GHANA LAND RESTORATION AND SMALL-SCALE MINING PROJECT DISCLOSURE OF STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT PLAN (SEP, RESETTLEMENT POLICY FRAMEWORK AND PROCESS FRAMEWORK (RPF &PF), AND ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL MANAGEMENT FRAMEWORK (ESMF)

The Ghana Land Restoration and Small-Scale Mining Project (GLRSSM) is an integrated project being developed by the Ministry of Environment, Science, Technology & Innovation (MESTI) through the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources (MLNR).

The funding for the GLRSSMP is to be provided by the World Bank, Global Environment Facility (GEF) and the Government of Ghana.

Implementation of GLRSSMP would be by the Ministry of Environment, Science, Technology & Innovation through the EPA and the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources together with relevant agencies.

The Project’s Development Objective (PDO) is to strengthen integrated landscape management and formalization of artisanal and small-scale mining and increase benefits to communities in the targeted degraded savannah and cocoa forest areas and to provide an immediate and effective response in case of an eligible crisis or emergency.

As part of the Project`s development and implementation requirements, relevant documents have been developed and must be disclosed as described below.

The Environmental and Social Framework (ESF) of the World Bank (WB) will guide the design and implementation of the project. The project also will comply with all the relevant legal requirements in Ghana.

Under the ESF, the Environmental and Social Risk Classification (ESRC) for the project is substantial and the project design and implementation will particularly be governed by eight (8) of the ten (10) Environmental and Social Standards (ESS) which are currently relevant for this project.

These include: (ESS1) Assessment and Management of Environmental and Social Risks and Impacts, (ESS2) Labour and Working Conditions, (ESS3) Resource Efficiency and Pollution Prevention and Management, (ESS4) Community Health and Safety, (ESS5) Land Acquisition, Restrictions on Land Use and Involuntary Resettlement, (ESS6) Biodiversity Conservation and Sustainable Management of Living Natural Resources, (ESS8) Cultural Heritage, and (ESS10) Stakeholder Engagement.

The implementation of GLRSSMP will also entail involuntary resettlement and environmental and social impacts. Documents addressing these concerns have been prepared by the Government of Ghana (GoG) through the Ministry of Environment, Science, Technology & Innovation (via the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)) and the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources.

Notice is hereby given for the disclosure of the following documents regarding the safeguard requirements for the Project:

• STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT PLAN (SEP);
• RESETTLEMENT POLICY FRAMEWORK AND PROCESS FRAMEWORK (RPF &PF); and
• ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL MANAGEMENT FRAMEWORK (ESMF).

SEP defines an approach and process to stakeholder engagement as part of the GLRSSMP. The SEP would also address any concerns that stakeholders who may be affected by or are interested in, the project may have regarding the project. 

The RPF outlines resettlement principles, organizational arrangements, and design criteria to be applied to subprojects or project components to be prepared during project implementation as required by ESS5

The Process Framework (PF) establishes a process by which groups or members of potentially affected communities participate in the design of project components, determine measures necessary to achieve resettlement policy objectives, and implement and monitor relevant project activities.

ESMF outlines a general impact identification framework to assist project implementers to screen the project activities and institute measures to address adverse E&S impacts.

In line with the foregoing, Notice is hereby served on the general public that the documents are published at the following locations:

1. Website of the Ministry of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation – mesti.gov.gh
2. Website of the Ministry of Lands and Natural resources – mlnr.gov.gh
3. Website of the Minerals Commission – mincom.gov.gh
4. Website of Environmental Protection Agency – epa.gov.gh
5. Website of the Lands Commission – lc.gov.gh
6. Website of the Forestry Commission – hq@fcghana.org
7. Website of the Water Resources Commission – wrc-gh.org
8. Website of the University of Mines and Technology – umat.edu.gh
9. Website of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture – mofa.gov.gh
10. Website of the Ghana Cocoa Board – cocobod.gh
11. Website of the Precious Minerals Marketing Company Limited – pmmc.gov.gh

In addition, the Public is also informed that hard copies of the SEP, ESMF and RPF & PF can be accessed at the under-listed locations;

1. Office of the Technical Director, Mines – Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources, Accra
2. Project Coordinating Unit (PCU) Office of the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources, Accra
3. Offices of the Minerals Commission, Accra
4. Offices of the Ghana Geological Survey Authority, Accra
5. Offices of the Water Resources Commission in Accra
6. Offices of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Accra
7. Offices of the Forestry Commission, Accra
8. Offices of the Precious Minerals Marketing Company, Diamond House, Accra
9. Offices of the Directorate of Crop Services of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture, Accra
10. Offices of the Ghana Cocoa Board, Accra
11. Basin, Regional and District offices of all implementing agencies (Mincom, EPA, WRC,)

Lastly, we wish to indicate that these documents will also be disclosed at the World Bank’s information shop and website.

For further enquiries about this disclosure, please contact:

The project coordinating units (Ghana Land Restoration/Small-Scale Mining)

Ghana Land restoration and Small-scale Mining Project

Tel: 050 130 1385
Tel: 020 435 2014

 Emails:

info@epa.gov.gh
gasmfppcu@gmail.com

This NOTICE is Issued by:
Project Coordinators
Ghana Land restoration and Small-scale Mining Project
Project Coordinating Units (Ghana Land Restoration/Small-Scale Mining)

Date of Issue: 7^th April 2021

Click to Download Related Document Here

1. STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT PLAN – GHANA LANDSCAPE RESTORATION AND SMALL-SCALE MINING PROJECT (P171933)
2. RESETTLEMENT POLICY FRAMEWORK AND PROCESS FRAMEWORK (RPF&PF) – GHANA LANDSCAPE RESTORATION AND SMALL-SCALE MINING PROJECT (P171933)
3. ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL MANAGEMENT FRAMEWORK (ESMF) – GHANA LANDSCAPE RESTORATION AND SMALL-SCALE MINING PROJECT (P171933)