The government has disbanded all Community Mining Schemes with immediate effect.
Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, the Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, announced this during a news briefing in Accra on Wednesday.
The Minister stated that while Community Mining Schemes were intended to benefit local communities, they existed in name only. As a result, they will be replaced with Mining Cooperatives, ensuring proper representation of community members through due diligence.
The decision follows an interim report by an 18-member Working Committee set up last month to review the licensing regime and recommend strategies to tackle illegal mining. According to the Minister, the committee found that Community Mining Schemes were not benefiting local communities as intended.
Additionally, the government has revoked all small-scale mining licenses issued after December 7, 2024, by the immediate past government.
A Technical Small-Scale Mining Review Committee has been established to review and validate all existing small-scale mining licenses.
The committee includes representatives from the Environmental Protection Agency, Minerals Commission, Forestry Commission, Water Resources Commission, and the Attorney-General’s Office.
It will be chaired by Deputy Lands Minister Yusif Sulemana, with a director from the Ministry of Environment, Science and Technology serving as deputy chair.
Armah-Kofi Buah noted that the current licensing regime is fraught with challenges, necessitating a comprehensive review.
The committee will audit all licenses to ensure they were properly acquired, that due process was followed, and that they meet environmental and land preservation standards. It will also verify that all permitting fees have been paid in full.
The committee has two months to complete its assignment and report to the ministry. All license holders must cooperate with the review process within this period, or their licenses will be revoked, the Minister warned.
Meanwhile, the ministries of Lands and Natural Resources, and Environment, Science and Technology are collaborating to establish a new classification system for small-scale mining.
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