Ghana’s government is nearing completion of a major overhaul of the Minerals Commission laws, aimed at promoting sustainable mining and community development. Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, disclosed that the legislative and policy reviews are at 85% completion.
He made the announcement during the Government Accountability Series Press Conference held at the Presidency in Accra. The platform, initiated by the Communications Bureau, seeks to ensure transparency and good governance.
According to Mr. Buah, the overhaul includes reviewing the Minerals and Mining Act 2006 (Act 703) and the Minerals and Mining Policy (2014). These updates are being crafted through widespread consultations involving traditional leaders, civil society groups, and academia.
“One of the critical reforms involves reducing the duration of prospecting licences, which previously could be held indefinitely. The new law will set a defined, minimal period,” the Minister stated.
Other proposed changes include reducing the maximum duration of mining leases from 30 years to a more manageable term, scrapping Development Agreements in favour of mandatory Community Development Agreements (CDAs), and requiring a fixed percentage of mineral revenues to be used for community projects.
A notable reform is the planned introduction of a three-tier mineral rights regime, including the issuance of medium-scale mining licences. Mr. Buah also mentioned a review of stability agreements, proposing to shorten their duration from 15 years to just enough time to recover investments, or to abolish them altogether.
The automatic renewal of licences will also be abolished unless all compliance conditions are fully met. “The aim is to correct past imbalances and ensure a more equitable system for all stakeholders,” he emphasized.
Mr. Buah announced that the government had already revoked 55 small-scale mining licences issued during the transitional period. Furthermore, 907 out of 1,278 licences are currently under review for potential revocation due to regulatory breaches, as flagged by the Small-Scale Mining Review Committee.
He added that a similar audit is being carried out for large-scale mining licences to ensure regulatory compliance and sustainable operations across the board.
“The mining sector remains a vital source of livelihood for millions of Ghanaians. With our rich deposits of gold, diamonds, bauxite, and iron, among others, we cannot afford to mismanage these natural resources,” he said.
He noted that growing global demand for minerals, fueled by population growth and urbanisation, as well as the impact of climate change, places increased pressure on Ghana’s resources.
“To fully benefit from our mineral wealth, the law must support sustainability, fairness, and prosperity, especially for mining communities who often suffer the direct impact of operations,” Mr. Buah added.
