The government, through the Ministry of Lands and Natural Gas, has announced the revocation of all small-scale mining licenses issued after December 7, 2024.
This decision follows the presentation of a comprehensive report by the Technical Committee jointly established by the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources, and the Ministry of Environment, Science, and Technology, weeks ago to review the current small-scale license regime and propose recommendations on addressing the menace.
Briefing the press on Wednesday, March 19, 2025, the sector Minister, Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, assured the public that the government would focus on the committee’s recommendations.
These, he mentioned, include a complete overhaul of the Community Mining Scheme, decentralizing the issuance of mining licenses, and repealing LI 2462, a law that gives the President the authority to sanction mining in forest reserves.
Mr. Armah-Kofi Buah commended the committee for their dedication and described the report as a blueprint for the government’s fight against illegal mining, commonly known as galamsey.
“The report has armed the ministry, and by extension the government, with all the information necessary to make punitive and radical decisions in the small-scale mining sector,” he said.
Recommendations
Other recommendations of the committee include the disbanding the existing Community Mining Schemes, which had failed to deliver on their promise of benefiting local communities.
He noted that these schemes would be replaced with Small-Scale Cooperatives designed to genuinely serve and empower communities. “Existing Community Mining Schemes exist in name only. The findings show they are not benefiting the communities as intended. They will be disbanded and replaced with cooperatives formed through due diligence and proper community representation,” he added.
For his part, the Minister of Environment, Science, and Technology, Ibrahim Murtala Muhammad, reiterated the urgency of the fight against illegal mining, describing it as a moral battle to protect Ghanaian lives.
He emphasised the importance of the committee’s report in guiding the government’s efforts to achieve sustainable results.
“Comprehensive reports like this are essential to streamline our measures against the galamsey menace,” Hon. Murtala Muhammad stated. He assured the public that relevant ministries and stakeholders would work together to conquer the scourge of illegal mining.
He cautioned that galamsey was akin to an act of terrorism and vowed that no one involved—whether political actors or not, including members of the NDC—would be spared from punitive actions.
“This is a fight we must win for the future of our nation for present and future generation,” he added.
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