Small-Scale mining – Adomonline.com

Revoke small-scale mining licenses without environmental safeguards – Cadman Atta Mills to gov’t

Joseph Odotei — Mon, 13 Oct 2025 09:50:41 +0000

Dr. Cadman Atta Mills, brother of the late President John Evans Atta Mills, has urged government authorities to revoke all small-scale mining licences granted without proper environmental assessments or mitigation plans.

In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Dr. Mills argued that what is currently taking place under the guise of small-scale mining—or galamsey—has evolved into a state-enabled destruction of the environment.

“What is happening in Ghana today and playing havoc with the environment is not ‘galamsey’ as traditionally known but legalised, organised rape of the environment with equipment (escalators, water pumps, chaftans, etc.) that is totally out of the reach of the traditional galamseyers,” he wrote.

He explained that the term galamsey originally referred to small artisanal miners using basic tools to pan for gold, but has since been wrongly applied to large-scale operations owned by politically connected individuals using sophisticated machinery.

According to Dr. Mills, many operators have obtained mining licences without fulfilling core legal obligations such as submitting environmental assessments, development plans, or evidence of viable mineral deposits.

“It stands to reason, therefore, that all licences for small-scale mining without an environmental assessment and mitigation plans must be revoked,” he declared.

GALAMSEY IS NOT THE PROBLEM. LEGALIZED SMALL SCALE MINING IS THE CULPRIT.

The Minister of Government Communications has presented the most coherent and accurate tracing of the evolution of destructive “small-scale mining” in Ghana yet. “Galamsey” or informal gold panning has…

— Cadman Atta Mills (@CadmanAttaMills) October 12, 2025

His remarks echo growing public concern over the environmental toll of illegal and unregulated mining, which continues to pollute rivers, destroy farmlands, and degrade forest reserves despite repeated government crackdowns.

Dr. Mills’s statement reinforces calls for stronger environmental governance and for clear distinctions between traditional artisanal mining and heavily mechanised operations operating under legal loopholes.

Source: Adomonline

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Galamsey: 70% of all small-scale mining activities are not licensed – Dr. Acheampong

Gertrude Okyere — Sat, 20 Sep 2025 17:58:37 +0000

Political Risk Analyst and Economist, Dr. Theo Acheampong, has sounded the alarm over the scale of illegal mining, commonly known as galamsey in Ghana, warning that the country faces a worsening crisis if bold and radical measures are not taken.

Speaking on JoyNews’ Newsfile, he revealed that the vast majority of small-scale mining operations are unregulated.

“70% of all small-scale mining activities are not licensed, and even amongst those that are licensed, we are not even too sure of the mining practices that they are using, and that is further adding to or compounding the scale of the problem,” he cautioned.

According to him, the issue has persisted for years due to weak regulatory oversight and poor enforcement.

“So we begin to see quite clearly that we have a major problem on our hands, and this is not something just today,” he noted.

Dr. Acheampong insisted that drastic action is now required, saying, “We need to do something different; we need to do something we may call radical.”

However, he rejected suggestions that declaring a state of emergency is the right solution, pointing to the failures of previous militarised interventions.

“Where I sort of disagree a little bit is in terms of the state of emergency because we have had similar interventions in the past. Others talk about Operation Vanguard and Operation Halt; we had these militarised sweeps into different mining enclaves and different mining sites.

“But as soon as the troops leave, as soon as the security forces leave, you then have the miners and the people going back to engage in the same sort of operation,” he explained.

“So I think fundamentally, if you impose a state of emergency, that is just going to be a short-term solution. It doesn’t fundamentally address what I call the supply-side issue that is actually driving the menace. Because again, we have done a number of these interventions, and it has not really worked,” he added.

Proposing a more sustainable path, Dr. Acheampong called for urgent reforms in Ghana’s mining laws, starting with the repeal of legislative instrument 2462.

“The first thing, for me, is let’s repeal that L.I. 2462. That is part of the problem. The L.I. that gives the government, and to that extent the Minerals Commission and other bodies, the authority to license in forest reserves. That is unconditional,” he stated.

He further reminded the government of earlier promises made to deal with the issue.

“When the NDC was campaigning in opposition, they made statements to the effect that when they come into power, they would repeal that. It’s nine months down the line, and we need to see some actions related to that,” he added.

Source: Kareen Tei

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Government approves new programme to reform small-scale mining and create jobs

Faridatu Seidu — Mon, 04 Aug 2025 12:50:22 +0000

The Government of Ghana has approved the implementation of the Responsible Cooperative Mining and Skills Development Programme (rCOMSDEP) to reform artisanal and small-scale mining while creating sustainable employment opportunities.

The initiative, spearheaded by President John Dramani Mahama, will consolidate the existing Community Mining Scheme (CMS) and the National Alternative Employment and Livelihood Programme (NAELP) into a unified framework.

According to a press release dated August 4, 2025, from the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources, rCOMSDEP will promote the formation of legally registered, locally owned mining cooperatives. These cooperatives will be supported with professional training, legal concessions, and access to modern, mercury-free processing facilities.

The programme’s key objectives include:

Promoting environmentally responsible cooperative mining
Reclaiming degraded lands for agriculture and forestry
Providing vocational, technical, and entrepreneurial skills for youth and women

rCOMSDEP is structured around six pillars: cooperative mining, mine support services, vocational training, environmental rehabilitation, agricultural value chain development, and community infrastructure improvements.

The Ministry called on traditional leaders, civil society groups, youth, and private sector actors to rally behind the initiative, which is expected to transform mining communities, create decent jobs, and protect the environment.

Source: Adomonline.com

Source: AdomOnline

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962 small-scale mining licences face revocation

Gertrude Okyere — Mon, 21 Jul 2025 16:38:52 +0000

The Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources has issued a stern warning to 962 small-scale mining licence holders, threatening to revoke their permits if identified irregularities are not resolved within two weeks.

Lands Minister Emmanuel Armah Kofi-Buah announced the ultimatum after receiving a report from a ministerial committee tasked with reviewing the status of small-scale mining licences across the country.

The report was formally presented to the Minister on Monday, 21st July 2025, at the Ministry’s headquarters in Accra.

According to Paa Kwesi Schandorf, Media Relations Officer at the Ministry, the committee’s review covered a total of 1,278 licences.

Of these, 316 were deemed to be in good standing, while the remaining 962 were found to have serious irregularities.

“These issues include documentation gaps, process anomalies, and data inconsistencies,” Mr Schandorf said.

Reacting to the findings, Minister Armah Kofi-Buah warned that the 962 defective licences will be revoked permanently if the anomalies are not rectified by 4th August 2025.

“This is part of our ongoing efforts to clamp down on illegal mining activities and to preserve Ghana’s natural resources. We will not hesitate to revoke licences where the rules have been breached,” the Minister stated.

He further stressed that the Ministry is determined to clean up Ghana’s small-scale mining sector, vowing to introduce sweeping reforms to the licensing regime to ensure greater transparency and accountability.

“We are committed to sanitising the small-scale mining space, and this is only the beginning. Beyond small-scale mining, we will soon begin a review of large-scale mining licences as well to ensure compliance across the entire sector,” he added.

The Minister is expected to provide further details on this directive during the Government Accountability Series at the Jubilee House on Wednesday, 23rd July 2025.

The move is part of broader government efforts to tighten regulatory oversight and combat illegal mining, which has caused severe environmental damage in several parts of the country.

Source: Myjoyonline.com

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Deputy Lands Minister rejects calls for blanket ban on small-scale mining

Dorcas Abedu-Kennedy — Fri, 13 Sep 2024 07:38:32 +0000

Deputy Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, George Mireku Duker, has pushed back against recent demands for a blanket ban on all small-scale mining operations, describing such calls as misguided.

While condemning the environmental destruction caused by illegal mining, including the degradation of major water bodies, Duker stated the government’s commitment to promoting responsible mining practices.

He noted that the government remains resolute in its efforts to end illegal mining activities but stressed the need for a collective approach to address the issue.

His remarks follow appeals from professional organisations, such as the Ghana Medical Association (GMA) and other unions, who have urged President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to immediately ban small-scale mining in response to the widespread environmental damage caused by illegal operations.

Organised Labour has also threatened a nationwide strike if the government fails to take decisive steps to end the destruction of water bodies and the environment by illegal miners.

However, speaking at the commissioning of the Meretweso Community Mining Scheme in the Upper Denkyira East Municipality of the Central Region, Duker argued that banning small-scale mining would be a misplaced priority.

He further disclosed that the government plans to deploy river guards to protect water bodies from further harm.

“It is misdirected because I was expecting them to have condemned the statement made by his excellency the former President Mahama before even calling for this action because you can’t just in a way out of the blue you just say put a ban. Ban on what?” he questioned.

“What are the metrics, what have you done. What analysis have you done. The statement President Mahama made was unfortunate so why didn’t they in a way ask him to apologise?”

He acknowledged the damage being caused to water bodies and expressed support for taking measures against those responsible.

“Yes, people are destroying our water bodies; there are measures we need to take to clamp down on recalcitrants who are destroying our water bodies, and I agree with them perfectly…But I am against it.”

“Personally, I am against the call for the ban on mining generally. You can’t ban mining. Why must you ban mining?” he added.

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Forensic Pathologist Prof Sampene backs calls for a ban on small-scale mining

Dorcas Abedu-Kennedy — Tue, 10 Sep 2024 15:25:04 +0000

Forensic Pathologist, Prof Paul Poku Sampene Ossei, has backed the call on the government by health workers associations including the Ghana Medical Association (GMA) to ban all forms of small-scale mining activities.

According to him, recent research findings by his team have revealed that the environmental damage caused by illegal mining has moved from “bad to worse.”

Speaking on JoyNews’ AM Show on September 10, he said, “There should be a sustainable effort that we have to persist and let the government know that what is happening is not the best of things and we are dealing with general extinction.”

Citing Venezuela as an example, he explained that a temporary ban on gold mining had to be imposed due to severe environmental degradation.

“When I engage some of these miners, both legal and illegal ones, their argument is that the place where they have a concession is not enough to recoup what they would have actually invested in. So they move from one place to another in an attempt to search for more. So they go to any length to do what they want.”

The forensic pathologist also highlighted troubling practices among miners, both legal and illegal, who are increasingly operating in sensitive areas like river beds.

“When we deal with the various things that I have come out with recently, you will realise it is quite alarming. I believe that whatever we have to do to curb the menace must be done. I am so much in support of the stance of the GMA. In fact, put a halt and revisit the whole thing and then come out with a very strong way by which we can control this menace.”

Meanwhile, the University Teachers Association of Ghana (UTAG) has also joined calls for a ban on illegal small-scale mining in forest reserves.

These activities have severely damaged Ghana’s water bodies, forests, and agricultural lands. Many scholars have criticised the government’s efforts to combat galamsey describing them as “failed and corruption-infested militarized battles.”

In a press release by its National President, Prof. Mamudu A. Akudugu, UTAG acknowledged that, given the current alarming state of illegal mining in the country, these criticisms are hard to refute.

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Small-scale mining fetched Ghana almost US$1.2 billion in 2022 – Minister

Dorcas Abedu-Kennedy — Sat, 20 May 2023 10:51:14 +0000

Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Samuel Abu Jinapor, has stated small-scale mining has been contributing increasingly to the nation’s gold output as the sector produced a total of 712,405 ounces of gold last year.

He said it brought to the nation almost US$1,200,000,000 in export receipts, adding that all diamonds produced in the country in 2022, which amounted to 82,251.99 carats and generated US$3,900,000 in revenue were from small-scale mining.

Mr Jinapor made the statement when he was speaking at the opening of a two-day transformational dialogue on artisanal and small-scale mining under the theme, “Sustaining Environmental Security and Human Rights in Small Scale Mining Operations in Ghana” at Fiapre in the Sunyani West Municipality.

The programme, initiated by the University of Energy and Natural Resources (UENR) aimed at bringing together various stakeholders to deliberate on the issue and jointly make efforts towards a common direction.

It was attended by politicians, traditional leaders, students, members, and staff of the UENR, artisans and small-scale miners, civil society actors, representatives of large-scale mining companies and the media.

Mr Jinapor said the small-scale mining sector had been the source of employment for thousands of people and supported the lives and livelihoods of millions of citizens.

But he added the increasing illegalities associated with the sector and resulting in the destruction of the environment remained a national challenge that required collaborative effort to end the menace.

Mr Jinapor said the government’s effort to clamp down on galamsey had been met with resistance because of the greedy and unscrupulous nation-wreckers destroying the environment for their personal interests.

He said the government in addressing the threat of illegal mining had introduced policies and measures under the National Alternative Employment and Livelihood Programme (NAELP) to provide alternative sources of income and livelihood to persons engaged in the menace.

In that regard several young men and women had been employed in the production of seedlings and reclamation of degraded mined lands in the Ashanti, Eastern and Western North Regions, the Minister added.

He said the Apprenticeship, Skills Training and Entrepreneurship module of the Programme was expected to be rolled out later this year to provide training for 5,000 youth in agriculture, technical, vocational, industrial, and mining skills.

Mr Jinapor , therefore, commended the UENR for introducing several novel programmes, including bachelor and graduate programmes in Sustainable Mining, Land Degradation Neutrality and Sustainable Land Management aimed at promoting sustainable mining and environmental protection.

The effort needed a hands-on-deck approach to promoting sustainable resources extraction practices and transforming mined lands into viable lands for agricultural purposes, he said and called for intensification of education on responsible and sustainable mining practices.

Good news for small-scale miners

Gertrude Okyere — Wed, 30 Nov 2022 22:26:04 +0000

The government and CalBank are close to sealing a $25 million deal to finance small-scale mining operations in the country.

The deal is part of arrangements being made by the government with financial institutions to bolster small-scale mining activities, including community mining.

The Deputy Minister of Lands and Natural Resources responsible for Mines, George Mireku Duker, who disclosed this, explained that the move would help eliminate the practice where some small-scale miners, as a result of financial challenges, sell their concessions to foreigners sometimes for a pittance.

He was speaking at a sensitisation workshop on regularisation of small-scale mining organised by the ministry for media editors in Accra on Tuesday.

Community schemes

Mr Duker said 16 community mining schemes had been established which were mining on a total land area of 2299.94 acres.

Additionally, he said, 85 district mining committees had been inaugurated in the Western, Western North, Ashanti, Eastern, North East, Upper East, Upper West and Savannah regions.

He said if well structured the scheme would cushion the economy and address unemployment.

Galamsey fight

Mr Duker said the fight against galamsey was a complex one but the government was determined, with the support of the people to bring it under control

He said the people in the galamsey business were not ordinary people, adding that they were people, some of whom carried sophisticated weapons.

He said the government had procured five-speed boats, which had been commissioned and placed under the care of the Ghana Navy.

In addition, the recruitment of river guards was ongoing, with the first 100 already passing out and getting ready for deployment on December 1, this year.

Responding to a question on the confiscated excavators, Mr Duker disclosed that the excavators had been handed over to the Ghana Police Service and that details would be made available to the media.

He welcomed inputs and expert views from the media on how to effectively communicate the strides made by the government in the galamsey war.

No ban on small-scale mining

Mr Duker also opposed calls for a ban on small-scale mining as a way to tackle illegal mining ( galamsey), saying it would do more harm than good to the country.

He explained that for a sector that contributed about 40 per cent of the country’s total gold produce and employed over one million Ghanaians, it had a huge role to play in economic development for which reason it was not prudent to ban it.

Recently there had been calls by a number of identifiable bodies including religious bodies and OccupyGhana for a temporary ban on all forms of small-scale mining.

But the deputy minister stated what was needed was to enforce regulations, which was what the government was doing to sanitise the water bodies and the environment.

He said aside from the numerous benefits of the small-scale mining industry to the country, the sector’s regulatory systems were considered one of the best in Africa, which had led to many countries seeking to learn from Ghana’s experience.

“Zambia and Sudan have come to emulate from us and currently, the South African High Commissioner is at the Ministry with the same purpose, to understudy Ghana’s small-scale mining sector,” he added.

I’m not into galamsey

Mr Duker debunked allegations levelled against him as being neck-deep in the galamsey activities.

” I have never been a miner and I will never be. I have only studied and had a good knowledge of the subject matter and that should be on the record,” he stated.

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Traceability project

Furthermore, he said the government through the World Bank and under the Ghana Land Restoration and Small-Scale Mining project, had already commenced work on a traceability system.

The objective of the project, he said, was to trace the chain of custody of the precious mineral right from the mine to its final destination.

The traceability project is being carried out by the PMMC and the Minerals Commission.

Later, the Deputy Minister led the editors to the Minerals Commission’s situational room where modern technological gadgets and software for the tracking of all earth-moving equipment and explosive machines will be commissioned next week.