By Benjamin Akoto
Kitase (E/R), Sept. 5,GNA – Mr Martin Kwaku Ayisi, the outgoing Chief Executive Officer of the Minerals Commission, says addressing the issue of illegal mining in Ghana is a long-term effort that cannot be achieved overnight.
He said, while the problem was deeply rooted, several bold and strategic measures had already been implemented to combat the menace and promote responsible mining practices across the country.
Mr Ayisi explained, “Truth be told, this is an issue that has persisted for nearly 30 years, so if I were to look at you in the face and say it could be resolved overnight, I would be deceiving you”, adding most sites have been visited and efforts were being made to properly formalize their operations.
Mr Ayisi made the remarks during a media interview on the sidelines of a stakeholder engagement on the review of Ghana’s 2014 Mining Policy and proposed legal amendments held in Kitase in the Eastern Region.
The workshop, organised by the Minerals Commission, brought together selected journalists from across the country.
It formed part of a broader collaboration between the Commission and the Ghana Journalists Association aimed at building the capacity of journalists and enhancing their understanding of the Commission’s operations.
Mr Ayisi stated that the Minerals Commission had no issues with lawful miners and had intensified regulation efforts, including plans to collaborate closely with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
He explained that many miners operating without proper licenses or approvals had been identified and steps were underway to grant them the necessary authorization, indicating various initiatives, such as cooperative mining schemes, were being rolled out to formalize these miners and regulate corporate mining sites where unauthorized operations are common.
Mr Ayisi emphasised the need for the country to invest in geological investigations and strictly adhere to designated mining block-out areas, stressing that this focused approach is essential for Ghana’s sustainable mining future and confirmed that these efforts have already begun.
According to Mr Ayisi, 90 percent of the solution to tackling illegal mining was in identifying suitable areas for miners to operate, saying, determining whether an area is viable requires thorough geological investigations, which the country must prioritize, because without this, the current issues will persist.
He explained that if designated mining areas were provided, about 70 percent of the problem could be resolved since authorities would know where miners are operating.
This he said would allow for proper regulation, discourage the use of harmful chemicals like mercury and improve tracking of gold production and indicated this initiative had already begun and represented a significant step forward.
He also highlighted ongoing reforms to Ghana’s 2014 mining policy and the nearly 20-year-old mining laws, saying these updates aimed to address emerging global trends, national circumstances, new policies, the rise of medium-scale mining, and efforts to promote indigenization in the sector.
Mr. Ayisi criticised the practice of companies holding mining leases for 30 years, noting that 80 to 90 percent of current data showed most mines had a lifespan of 10 to 12 years.
He said unlike in other countries, Ghana allowed companies to hold prospecting licenses indefinitely, the government now plans to reduce the duration of these licenses to encourage active work and free up areas for small-scale miners, aligning with international standards.
He also highlighted that many past development agreements had been detrimental to the nation, citing issues with stabilization clauses that hinder progress when conditions change.
To address this, Mr Ayisi said that community development agreements would now be mandatory, requiring companies to collaborate with local chiefs and allocate at least 1percent of their annual profits to fund community projects, these reforms aim to indigenize the sector, remove unhelpful contracts and improve the overall regulatory framework.
A participant Patience Tawiah told the Ghana News Agency ,that the training helped her understand the importance of investing in geological surveys to accurately identify mineral deposits, which is essential for promoting responsible mining practices within communities.
GNA
Edited by George-Ramsey Benamba