Tarkwa Ghana: Towards continuous improvement in natural resources governance and use in Africa, the DAAD organised an expert forum hosted by the University of Mines and Technology (UMaT), Ghana from the 7th to 12th of November 2022. It was on the theme “sustainable mining, natural resources awareness and social acceptance of mining” and drew experts across the globe for this dialogue. Stakeholders present reiterated the relevance of natural resources in building strong economic backbones of countries of which Ghana was not an exception. However, the prevailing opacities in mineral licensing and agreements coupled with perceived injudicious appropriations of revenues generated from the continent’s vast natural resources were bemoaned as major setbacks to attaining the desired economic growth for developing countries. Represented by the Government of Ghana, the sector deputy minister for lands and natural resources Hon. Mireku Duker took time to highlight the prevailing interventional strategies and programmes being employed to ensure the curbing of unsustainable mining. At the event, TICSEP’s sustainability team made a strong push for increased inclusion of indigenous communities and organisations in the decision-making processes regarding national resource extractions, regulations, and revenue use. These were believed could help incorporate stakeholders' holistic concerns and interests in resource policies other than the usual top-down policy implementations that result in policy repulsion and community uprisings against corporations. Additionally, policymakers and corporate bodies were encouraged to integrate more youth-led organisations into their plans when implementing community sustainability projects. As this would encourage cohesion in project target realisations as they would reflect their future needs and canvas their supports. On the way forward on the over-reliance on finite resources to accelerate the developmental needs of Africa, a passionate call was made to swiftly consider strategic research and investments into renewable energy uses. A rhetorical question about “why temperate countries with minimal all-year-round sun and wind power potentials when compared to Africa and other tropical countries were leading research and investments in same” was made by Ing. Martin Mensah, the head of Research and Programmes at TICESP. What is Africa waiting for when these free and readily available resources could be harnessed to drive its developmental agenda? A call for Africa to stop playing the victim of insufficiency and exploitation and work towards uplifting its masses from poverty to prosperity was highly charged. On artisanal mining and related sustainability issues in Ghana, Mr. Baffour Siaw, a Development Officer at TICSEP advised that adequate stakeholder engagement, tolerance, sustainable alternatives, and clearer plans were some fundamental but essential elements required to help formalize the small-scale mining sector of the country. Especially when research has ascertained that some of the key drivers of the influx of unsustainable mining were poverty, culture, and lack of sustainable livelihood alternatives in the country. He further made a forecast that, as Ghana’s economic strength keeps dwindling coupled with an increased cost of living and lack of jobs, a surge in unsustainable mining in the country would spike despite the many national clampdown efforts. A presentation on TICSEP’s portfolio was made to give spotlights on the organisation's commitment to sustainable environmental management, climate action, food security and poverty alleviation. The forum was participated by about 50 experts from different fields and was graced by Ghana’s Deputy Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, the vice chancellor of UMaT, Professors, lecturers, mining engineers, policymakers, financial, legal, environmental and community development experts.