The Government of Ghana is finalizing a comprehensive legislative and policy review of the Minerals Commission as part of efforts to reform and modernize the country’s mining sector.
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Lands and Natural Resources Minister Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah announced that the review of the Minerals and Mining Act, 2006 (Act 703) and the Minerals and Mining Policy (2014) is 85% complete.
The reforms are being guided by broad stakeholder consultations involving civil society, academia, and traditional leaders.
Speaking at the Government Accountability Series Press Conference at the Jubilee House, Mr. Buah outlined major proposals under the review. These include:
- Reducing the duration of prospecting licenses from indefinite terms to defined short periods.
- Cutting down the maximum term for mining leases from 30 years.
- Abolishing Development Agreements and enforcing Community Development Agreements (CDAs), funded by a percentage of gross mineral revenue.
- Introducing a new medium-scale mining license under a three-tier rights regime.
- Reducing or removing stability agreements, currently capped at 15 years.
- Scrapping automatic license renewals for non-compliant firms.
Mr. Buah emphasized that the reforms aim to eliminate past inefficiencies, empower mining communities, and ensure sustainable and equitable use of Ghana’s mineral wealth.
As part of the crackdown on illegal mining (galamsey), he said the government had revoked 55 small-scale licenses issued during the transition period.
A further 907 licenses out of 1,278 are currently under review, with similar audits underway for large-scale operations.
“The mining sector is vital to millions of livelihoods but to unlock its full potential, our laws must ensure equity, transparency, and sustainability,” he said.
