The Government of Ghana has established an 18-member committee to review the licensing regime and processes in the country’s mining sector.
The committee will propose strategic measures to safeguard the environment, assess mining operations in forest reserves, identify best practices, and develop approaches to stop mining activities in rivers.
In addition, the committee will provide recommendations for a comprehensive strategy to address challenges in the mining sector and raise other relevant issues for consideration.
The committee was inaugurated in Accra by the ministers of Lands and Natural Resources, Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, Environment, Science and Technology, Dr. Ibrahim Murtala Muhammed. They urged the members to work diligently to tackle environmental crimes and promote sustainable mining practices.
Chaired by Prof. Martin Oteng-Ababio of the University of Ghana’s Department of Geography and Resource Development, the committee includes representatives from state institutions, traditional rulers, and academia. Among the state institutions represented are the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources, the Ministry of Environment, Science and Technology, the Attorney-General’s Department, the Forestry Commission, the Lands Commission, the Minerals Commission, the Water Resources Commission, and the Environmental Protection Authority.
Other members include the Chief of Defence Staff, the Ghana Police Service, the Ghana Geological Survey Authority, and the National House of Chiefs. Additionally, the Ghana Chamber of Mines, the Ghana National Association of Small-Scale Miners, and the Centre for Extractive Development, Africa, are part of the committee. Prominent individuals such as Dormaahene Osagyefo Agyemang Badu II and Martin Ayisi, the Chief Executive Officer of the Minerals Commission, are also members.
Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah highlighted the critical need for reform in the mining sector, which, despite its significant contribution to economic growth, has been plagued by issues such as environmental degradation, illegal mining, deforestation, and water pollution. He emphasized the government’s commitment to promoting responsible mining practices, restoring polluted water bodies, and rehabilitating forest reserves as part of its Reset Agenda.