President of the Concerned Small Scale Miners Association, Michael Kwadwo Peprah, has accused former Lands Minister Samuel Abu Jinapor and his close associates of corruption and fraudulent practices related to the issuance of small-scale mining licences.
In an interview on Adom FM’s Dwaso Nsem, Peprah revealed that personal assistants and individuals closely associated with the former minister were allegedly demanding $10,000 to sign licences for small-scale miners.
This practice reportedly emerged after the large-scale revocation of licences and the ban on small-scale mining imposed by former President Nana Akufo-Addo.
Peprah claimed that despite some miners having legitimately acquired their licences years ago, these were revoked and converted into community mining operations.
He added that attempts to restore these licences or apply for new ones were unsuccessful because the former minister refused to sign them, forcing some individuals to exploit the situation for personal gain.
“People had acquired their licences two and four years ago legally, but they were revoked and turned into community mining; we complained, but they never listened,” he stated. “When Abu Jinapor became minister, all the applications sent to him were not signed, so his PAs and some people close to him demanded $10,000 to sign them. These were not payments to the government, but to certain individuals to enrich themselves.”
Peprah emphasized that there were individuals who could corroborate his claims and challenged anyone to deny them.
These accusations come amid recent developments surrounding the revocation of small-scale mining licences.
Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, announced the cancellation of all licences issued after December 7, 2024, due to irregularities in the process.
This decision follows recommendations from key regulatory bodies such as the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Forestry Commission, and the Water Resources Commission, as part of efforts to combat illegal mining, known as galamsey.
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