The government of Ghana has announced the revocation of all small-scale mining licences issued after December 7, 2024.
The Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah,who made this known to the public,cited irregularities in the issuance process.
Speaking at a joint press briefing on March 19, 2025, Mr Buah stated that these licences were granted without due process, making their cancellation necessary.
“Now, we are going full steam ahead to revoke all licences based on the findings. Even all licences it’s mostly licences that were issued from December 7 that is hereby revoked, whether you have EPA licences or not, because the finding is very clear. Those licences from December 7 were rushed. Review processes were not followed; the right things were not done,” he stated.
The decision follows recommendations from key regulatory bodies, including the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Forestry Commission, and the Water Resources Commission, as part of a broader strategy to combat illegal mining, also known as galamsey.
As part of the reforms, a structured training program for small-scale mining license holders will be introduced. The Minister emphasised that individuals should not simply be handed licenses, they must undergo a certification process to ensure they have the requisite knowledge and skills for responsible mining.
“People should not simply be given licenses. They must be required to have gone through some process of certification, a training program that ensures they understand proper mining practices,” he stated
