The Convener of the Anti-Galamsey Coalition, Ken Ashigbey, has called for the dismissal of Martin Ayisi, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Minerals Commission, following the government’s revocation of all small-scale mining licenses issued after December 7, 2024.
The revocation, announced by the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, is part of recommendations from a technical committee established by the Ministries of Lands and Natural Resources and Environment, Science, and Technology. Buah explained that these licenses were granted without proper processes, making their cancellation necessary.
In response, Dr. Ashigbey, speaking on Adom FM’s Burning Issues, argued that the Minerals Commission, under Ayisi’s leadership, was responsible for issuing the questionable licenses.
He emphasized that Ayisi should be held accountable for the issuance and called for his removal.
“The minister is revoking licenses that were issued through unapproved means, and we are asking who supervised the issuance. If it’s the Minerals Commission, then the one in charge should be held responsible, with his appointment revoked,” Ashigbey stated.
The joint committee also recommended a complete overhaul of the Community Mining Scheme, the decentralization of mining license issuance, and the repeal of L.I. 2462, which grants the President the authority to authorize mining in forest reserves.
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Listen to Dr. Ashigbey in the video below: