Georgette Barnes, President of Women In Mining Ghana (WIM), emphasized the potential for women in Ghana’s mining sector to significantly improve their earnings and business opportunities by adopting responsible mining practices and clean energy. Speaking at the Future of Energy Conference 2025 at the Labadi Beach Hotel in Accra, she outlined a vision where sustainable methods could unlock economic benefits for female miners. Barnes stressed the importance of connecting women and local communities to data sources, large-scale mines, and supplier development programs to facilitate access to finance and employment.
She highlighted major challenges women face in the mining sector, including low financial literacy, limited access to technology, and a lack of formalisation, which hinders their ability to secure financing. Noting the high-risk perception of mining by lenders, Barnes advocated for the formalisation of community-based schemes, such as Ghana’s “susu” programs, to help women establish a credible financial track record.
Additionally, she called for stronger connections between women miners and geological surveys to provide the data needed for banks. Barnes urged large-scale mining companies to support women’s groups and prioritize local hiring, suggesting that employment opportunities for women would enable access to financing for their businesses.
Many women miners currently rely on sponsors who exploit them by offering unfair prices for their products. To address this, she recommended supplier development programs to ensure fair compensation throughout the value chain. Lastly, Barnes encouraged women miners to cooperate and engage in collective bargaining to strengthen their negotiating power, drawing insights from a World Bank-funded project aimed at promoting responsible mining practices in northern Ghana. The conference served as a platform for various stakeholders to discuss sustainable and equitable solutions for the energy future in Africa.