Small-scale miners to set aside part of earnings for land reclamation

The Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources has directed small-scale mining operators to set aside a portion of their earnings to restore degraded lands once mining operations end.

The Deputy Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Dr. Yusif Sulemana, revealed this during the launch of the Ahanta West and Mpohor-Fiase Responsible Cooperative Mines at Awunakrom in the Western Region.

He explained that small-scale mining cooperatives must adopt land reclamation measures similar to those expected of large-scale mining firms.

To ensure the policy work, the Ministry plans to monitor production output across participating mines to calculate how much money each cooperative needs to reserve for environmental restoration. The government is also linking operators with the Forestry Commission to supply seedlings and planting materials for re-vegetation.

“As long as they dig and destroy the surface of the land, we have encouraged them, and it is part of the policy guidelines that they should put aside some money which will be used to reclaim the land,” Dr. Sulemana said.

“We are also linking them to the Forestry Commission, which can provide seedlings and planting materials. We are also going to monitor their production volumes to determine how much they have to put aside for reclamation,” he added.

The initiative forms part of the government’s Responsible Cooperative Mining & Skills Development Programme (rCOMSDEP), which aims to bring order to small-scale mining outside forest reserves. Dr. Sulemana noted that formalising these operations helps ensure local host communities genuinely benefit rather than having outsiders mine their lands without giving back.

“In addition to legitimising their operations through formalisation and ensuring adherence to mining regulations, this will bring an end to the situation where people come from outside a community to undertake community mining at the expense of the local people,” he added.

He reassured miners that the rCOMSDEP formalisation drive will remain a priority across successive governments, with a target to register at least 50 certified cooperative mines nationwide by the end of 2026.

The event marked the launch of the second cooperative under the programme in the Western Region and the first joint mining venture between the Ahanta West and Mpohor-Fiase districts. During the ceremony, Dr. Sulemana presented certificates of registration and operational permits to the project’s promoter, Charles Ahiati, who also donated health-support equipment and logistical supplies to the Awunakrom community.

Local officials and stakeholders present at the event backed the directive. The rCOMSDEP National Coordinator, Sheikh Seidu Sadiq, urged miners to stick to their assigned concessions under strict supervision from local authorities and residents, while Deputy Coordinator George Dadzie noted how regulated cooperatives differ from illegal galamsey. Francis Annobil from the Minerals Commission warned of sanctions for non-compliance, while district leaders Ebenezer Aidoo and Sophia Aubyn welcomed the project’s economic impact, noting that the new mine has already created 300 jobs for local youth as a legal alternative to illegal mining.