Ghana’s Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, has inaugurated a Large-Scale Mining Audit Committee to address long-standing irreguarities and strengthen regulatory oversight across Ghana’s mining sector.
The initiative forms part of government’s broader strategy to reform not only mining laws and policies but also the institutions responsible for enforcing them.
Speaking at a brief ceremony, Buah noted that while government had made significant progress in streamlining small-scale mining, attention must now shift to the large-scale segment, which remains critical to the national economy.
“This is a very critical area, and we must ensure that all irregularities and challenges are tackled head-on. On behalf of President Mahama, I urge you to work with us to sanitize the industry,” he stated.
The Committee’s mandate spans several key areas — including exploration rights, land tenure agreements, environmental and social compliance, safety permits, resettlement approvals, and fiscal obligations such as royalties and taxes.
The Minister underscored the importance of stakeholder engagement, which he said has too often been overlooked in licensing and regulatory processes.
“Communities must be heard. How can they know what is happening when their voices are ignored? This is what the whole process is about,” Buah emphasized.
Expressing confidence in the committee’s capacity to deliver, the Minister said the exercise marks the beginning of a transformation aimed at strengthening the Minerals Commission and restoring integrity to Ghana’s mining governance framework.
“We are determined to completely transform the Minerals Commission, and this audit is the beginning of that transformation,” he affirmed.
