Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, has revealed that 55 small-scale mining licences issued during the transitional period were revoked earlier this year, with hundreds more currently under scrutiny.
Speaking at the Government Accountability Series in Accra on Wednesday, July 23, the Minister disclosed that a sweeping audit by the Small-Scale Mining Review Committee has placed 907 out of 1,278 active licences under investigation due to irregularities.
“Additionally, 907 out of 1,278 licences are now under review for possible revocation due to irregularities identified by the Small-Scale Mining Review Committee,” Buah noted.
He added that a similar audit is underway for large-scale mining operations to ensure compliance with environmental and legal standards.
“These measures are aimed at sanitising the mining sector to ensure transparency and sustainable operations,” Buah stated, reaffirming the government’s commitment to reforming the industry.
In collaboration with national security agencies — including the Ghana Police Service, the Ghana Armed Forces, and the National Security Secretariat — the Ministry has also seized 425 excavators and various other machines used in illegal mining. So far, 1,345 arrests have been made nationwide, with prosecutions actively progressing.
The crackdown has been particularly intense within Ghana’s forest reserves, where authorities have confiscated:
177 excavators
4 bulldozers
12 vehicles
43 motorcycles
155 pumping machines
184 changfangs
15 detector machines
10 heavy-duty generators
A total of 286 individuals have reportedly been arrested in these forest zones alone.
The Minister indicated that the Attorney-General is expected to provide further updates on the status of prosecutions.
Buah reaffirmed the government’s resolve to restore integrity to Ghana’s mining sector, safeguard natural resources, and uphold environmental sustainability.
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