Illegal mining remains one of the most complex challenges confronting Ghana’s extractive sector, and President of the Ghana Chamber of Mines, Michael Edem Akafia believes formalisation not politicisation, offers a viable path forward.
During discussions with journalists participating in the Africa Extractives Media Fellowship, Mr Akafia who is also the Vice President for External Affairs at Goldfields limited said no conversation about mining is complete without addressing illegal operations.
“We can’t talk about mining without talking about illegal mining security and how it affects us,” he said.
He likened the situation to football, where illegal miners see large-scale operators as established teams whose concessions can be taken over without the years of exploration, permitting and capital investment required to develop them.
There have been incidents, he noted, where illegal miners encroached on concessions, sometimes involving foreign nationals, creating tension and security risks.
Government’s proposed cooperative mining scheme, he said, could be part of the solution by bringing small-scale miners into a regulated framework.
However, he warned that political cycles often derail formalisation efforts.
“In 2016, concessions were allocated one way; when another administration came in, the rules changed. This back-and-forth politics kills attempts at formalisation,” he argued.
The Chamber, he said, is committing resources to support government efforts aimed at responsible small-scale mining. Some member companies have already piloted community partnership models to promote safer practices.
He also emphasized that large-scale operators operate under strict transparency regimes, with independent laboratories, customs oversight in gold rooms and external audits by global firms.
“Listed companies have strict regulations and personal liability for directors. There’s no incentive to under-declare. The suspicion is mainly around small-scale mining, not the big players,” he said.
Mr. Akafia urged policymakers to focus enforcement on actual evasion while preserving a stable environment for compliant investors.
“It’s about unlocking value for Ghana. We’re aligned with government’s quest. But we need predictability and fiscal stability to sustain our businesses.”
He concluded that mining policy must strike a balance between immediate revenue needs and long-term economic transformation.
“If you eat the seed, there’s no planting. But if you allow planting, you’ll harvest more in the future.”
The Africa Extractives Media Fellowship, an initiative by Newswire Africa with support from the Australian High Commission and other partners, seeks to equip journalists across the continent with tools for evidence-based reporting on mining, oil, gas, and environmental governance.
By: Christian Kpesese/NR News
