The Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, announced in today’s accountability series that 55 mining licenses granted during the transitional period when Akufo-Addo’s administration was about to hand over power had been withdrawn.
The Lands Minister revealed that an audit conducted by the Small-Scale Mining Review Committee has placed 907 out of 1278 active licenses under intensive scrutiny owing to risky mining practices.
The minister also noted that the same procedure would be carried out for Large Scale Mining Companies to make sure they follow environmental and regulatory rules.
“These measures are meant to clean up the mining industry to make sure it is open and runs in a way that is good for the environment”, Buah asserted, reiterating the government’s dedication to modernizing the industry.
Buah also added that the Ministry through its collaborative efforts with other security agencies like the Ghana Armed Forces, Police Service and the National Security, has confiscated mining equipment from illegal miners which include 425 excavators and other items which they use in their operations. According to him, around 1,345 individuals are currently being prosecuted for their roles in illegal mining activities.
The breakdown of the list of confiscated items are below:
- 177 excavators
- 4 bulldozers
- 12 vehicles
- 43 motorcycles
- 155 pumping machines
- 184 changfangs
- 15 detector machines
- 10 heavy-duty generators
The Lands Minister reiterated the government’s commitment to restoring integrity in Ghana’s mining sector, protecting natural resources, and ensuring environmental sustainability.
