Adwumawura Initiative to Provide Jobs for Former Illegal Miners – Mahama
New initiative seeks to provide sustainable employment for former illegal miners and other marginalized groups
- Adwumawura programme targets job opportunities for former galamsey workers
- 60% of beneficiaries will be women and girls
- The initiative aims to transition individuals from illegal mining to sustainable, legal livelihoods
President John Mahama has revealed that his newly introduced Adwumawura programme is tailored to create job opportunities for individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds, including former illegal miners, often referred to as “galamsey” workers.
Speaking at the programme’s launch in Kumasi on Monday, Mahama emphasized that the initiative will prioritize people with disabilities, those lacking formal education, and youth from areas affected by conflict.
“A minimum of 60% of the beneficiaries will be women and girls, especially in trades where they are underrepresented,” he noted. “We’re also targeting persons with disabilities, unemployed youth, out-of-school youth, and residents of rural and at-risk communities.”
A key focus of the programme, he added, will be on young people who have participated in illegal mining. “We want to transition them out of galamsey by giving them tools and support to start their own legitimate businesses,” Mahama said.
This announcement comes as Ghana continues its crackdown on illegal mining, which has severely harmed the environment—polluting water bodies, degrading forests, and worsening the effects of climate change.
President Mahama expressed confidence that the Adwumawura initiative would steer former illegal miners toward sustainable employment and help curb further environmental degradation.
