Government has revoked about 55 small-scale mining licences following the discovery of major irregularities during a sector-wide review aimed at curbing illegal mining.
This was disclosed by the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah during the Government Accountability Series on Wednesday, July 23.
According to Mr. Buah, the decision was part of broader reforms to cleanse the mining sector and restore public confidence in regulatory processes.
The cancelled licences, he explained were issued during the transitional period and were found to be in breach of established procedures.
In addition, the Minister revealed that 907 out of 1,200 existing small-scale mining licences are currently under scrutiny for possible revocation, following the submission of a report by a technical review committee.
The committee, which was tasked with assessing the validity and integrity of all small-scale licences across the country, uncovered alarming discrepancies.
“In the fight against galamsey, it must be noted that 55 small scale mining licenses issued during the transitional period were revoked at the beginning of the year. Additionally 907 out the 1200 small scale mining licenses are now under review for possible revocation due to irregularities identify by the small scale mining review committee.”
He further disclosed that the Ministry is extending the review to cover large-scale mining licences to guarantee full compliance with Ghana’s mining laws.
This intensified crackdown is part of the government’s renewed fight against illegal mining, commonly referred to as galamsey — an activity that has wreaked havoc on forests, rivers, and farming communities over the past decade.
