The Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) in mining have initiated a campaign calling on the government to reinvest tax revenue from small-scale mining into the communities affected by mining operations.
Dubbed the ‘Reinvest Royalties’ campaign which is gaining traction, it seeks to advocate for these funds to be used for vital infrastructure projects such as schools, hospitals, and environmental protection in mining regions.
The proponents have argued that by redirecting a portion of the royalties back to mining communities, the government can increase legal mining, build local wealth and reduce dependency on “galamsey.”
The Reinvest Royalties campaign is working alongside community leaders in Bole and Amansie West, with support from local radio programming and social media initiatives to spread the message.
According to the campaign team, the content on social media has received millions of engagements, with many messages supporting the idea of royalties.
The campaign is further backed by the UK Ghana programme in collaboration and a number of civil society organisations, including Natural Resource Governance Institute, KASA, CEDA, Institute For Energy Security, Arocha Ghana and SYND which have united under the banner of the Shared Prosperity Initiative.
Together, they are advocating for a shift in the approach to mining regulation, emphasising the need to work with mining communities to end illegal mining, rather than relying solely on enforcement.
The Technical Advisor for UKGGP, Dr. Steve Manteaw, has said the campaign’s central message is clear.
“If we want to end galamsey, we must empower our mining communities. By giving communities a stake in the royalties generated from mining, they will have a vested interest in welcoming regulated mining operations while rejecting illegal ones,” he stated.
Dr Manteaw added that, investing in these communities will not only boost local economies but also strengthen local development opportunities.
In addition to improving infrastructure, the campaign highlights that mining royalties can be channelled towards safeguarding the environment.
These funds could cover the costs of geological surveys, ensuring more precise and less destructive mining practices.
They could also support the development of less harmful extraction methods and fund the reclamation of sites once mines have closed.
Billions Lost Due to Illegal Mining
Ghana is losing billions of dollars each year due to illegal mining and gold smuggling. The Reinvest Royalties campaign believes that better regulation can keep this money within the country and support Ghanaian citizens.
However, the campaign stresses that forced regulation is not the solution; instead, the government must create an environment where mining communities actively seek regulation by ensuring they benefit from it.
Better Regulation, More Royalties, Stronger Communities
The campaign insists that better mining regulation will result in more revenue for Ghana, and a portion of this should be reinvested in the communities where the mining occurs.
This model, they argue, would create a positive cycle of royalties driving an increase in regulation, which in turn further increases the amount of royalties earned by communities.
By ensuring that mining communities benefit directly from the tax on regulated mining, the campaign states these communities will become less tolerant of illegal mining activities on their lands.
The CSOs have emphasised that reinvesting mining royalties in the communities where mining takes place will foster sustainable development, strengthen local economies, and help put an end to illegal mining once and for all.