The Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources has announced plans to revoke additional unapproved small-scale mining licences as part of ongoing reforms to streamline the mining sector and enforce responsible mining practices.
Mr Abdul Waliu Kabore Mahmud, Public Relations Officer at the Ministry, told the Ghana News Agency in Accra that the move follows an audit of small-scale mining licences conducted by the sector Minister, Mr Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, upon assuming office earlier this year. The review examined regulatory compliance, licence expiry dates, and other irregularities.
Citing the Minerals and Mining Act of 2006 (Act 703) and the Minerals and Mining Regulations 2012 (LI 2173), the Minister has already revoked 374 licences, including that of the Akonta Mining firm. Mr Kabore Mahmud noted that in June, the Ministry reviewed 907 licences and provided most operators the opportunity to submit additional information, but 278 licences were found to have unresolved irregularities.
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The next phase of the sector’s reform will focus on auditing large-scale mining companies to ensure full compliance. As part of a retooling initiative, the Ministry recently received 24 Land Cruisers to be allocated to the Minerals Commission, Environmental Protection Authority (EPA), and Water Resources Commission. These vehicles are intended to strengthen monitoring and evaluation, ensuring that mining activities are conducted sustainably and in accordance with EPA guidelines.
Mr Kabore Mahmud emphasised that the enhanced oversight will yield two outcomes: either operators comply with regulations, or more licences will be revoked and penalties enforced.
