Lands Minister-Designate outlines plans to end illegal mining and reform state land sales
The Minister-designate for Lands and Natural Resources, Emmanuel Armah Kofi Buah, has outlined his vision for reforming the management of state lands and addressing illegal mining activities in Ghana.
Speaking during his vetting by the Appointments Committee of Parliament on Monday, January 27, Mr. Buah emphasized transparency, value for money, and sustainable resource management as his key priorities.
On the contentious issue of state land sales, Mr. Buah assured the Committee that past transactions would be thoroughly reviewed to ensure accountability.
“State lands must not be sold unless it is in the interest of the public, and even in such cases, the current market value must guide any sales to prevent the people of Ghana from being shortchanged,” he stated.
He further revealed that former President John Mahama has directed a complete review of all state lands disposed of since 1995, with the aim of identifying cases where value for money was not established.
“Where discrepancies are found, I will not hesitate to act to protect the state’s interest. The law of Ghana must not be compromised,” Mr. Buah affirmed.
On the issue of illegal mining, commonly known as "galamsey," Mr. Buah presented a multi-faceted strategy centered on community engagement, prevention, and enforcement.
Citing data from the Minerals Commission, he disclosed that approximately three million Ghanaians are directly or indirectly involved in illegal mining across 12 regions, a problem he described as enormous.
“To effectively tackle illegal mining, we must first engage chiefs, community leaders, and local stakeholders. Empowering and sensitising them will enable us to address the issue from its roots,” Mr. Buah said.
He also highlighted the need to decentralise regulatory processes to make obtaining mining licenses less cumbersome, thereby reducing the incentive for illegal operations.
As part of his broader vision, Mr. Buah proposed the recategorisation of mining into small, medium, and large-scale operations to improve oversight and capacity building.
“Recategorisation will allow for better monitoring and supervision while helping small-scale miners build the capacity to eventually transition to medium and large-scale operations,” he explained.
Additionally, he announced plans to establish a "Gold Board" to support small and medium-scale mining cooperatives.
“This initiative aims to provide technical assistance, training, and access to geological surveys, ensuring that mining activities are conducted responsibly and sustainably,” he said.
Mr. Buah also underscored the importance of indigenizing mining, stating, “Our goal is to build the capacity of Ghanaians so that we don’t rely on foreign companies for large-scale mining. This process will empower our people and strengthen our economy.”
The minister-designate further committed to working with the Geological Survey Authority to intensify investigations and identify mineralized locations, describing this step as crucial for effective planning and resource management.
The vetting session, which also addressed other pressing issues in the lands and natural resources sector, saw members of the Committee touch on the need for decisive leadership to tackle these longstanding challenges.