Armah-Kofi Buah Warns Cooperative Miners Against Licence Breaches

The Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, has warned three newly approved cooperative mining groups in the Nzema East Municipality to strictly comply with their licence conditions, cautioning that any breach could lead to the revocation of their authorisations.

He said the success of the Axim-Agona, Adekreso and Akango Cooperative Mining and Skills Development Programme would depend on the groups’ commitment to lawful and responsible mining, stressing that the government would not hesitate to close down operations that violated the prescribed requirements.

“Responsible mining begins with compliance with the law,” the minister said at the launch of the programme, urging the beneficiary groups to operate within the limits of their lawful authorisations.

He warned that a licence revoked as a result of non-compliance could undermine the entire cooperative arrangement, placing a responsibility on the pioneer groups to demonstrate that mining could be conducted legally while protecting the environment.

Mr Armah-Kofi Buah further cautioned that cooperative members who failed to report partners engaged in illegal mining would also face sanctions if their complicity or failure to act came to light. “If your partner is engaged in irregular mining and you don’t report, you’ll also be closed down if we find out,” he warned.

The Minister said the government expected the three groups to set an example for other mining operators by demonstrating that miners could organise themselves, operate within the law and contribute to national development without destroying the environment.

He said the initiative was intended to help reverse the damage caused by illegal mining, popularly known as galamsey, and promote a more responsible and sustainable approach to mineral extraction. As part of the support for compliant groups, Mr Armah-Kofi Buah announced that the government would provide processing equipment capable of achieving gold recovery of up to 90 per cent, provided the beneficiaries adhered to the programme’s requirements.

The intervention, he indicated, was intended to improve processing efficiency while encouraging the groups to operate within the approved regulatory framework.

The minister also said the government had intensified efforts to curb illegal mining, disclosing that about 4,000 excavators had been locked up at the ports as part of measures to stop the activities undermining the country’s land and water resources.

He maintained that the government had made progress in tackling the menace over the past two years, adding that attention must now increasingly turn to restoring degraded areas, including through tree planting and land reclamation.

Mr Armah-Kofi Buah expressed confidence that the cooperative mining initiative would help change the fortunes of mining communities and contribute to making illegal mining a thing of the past.

DCE calls for strict compliance

The District Chief Executive for Nzema East, Mr Herbert Kuah Dickson, also urged the beneficiary groups to comply strictly with the conditions governing their operations to avoid losing their licences.

He said the initiative had the potential to reduce pressure from illegal mining in the area and promote a more organised approach to mineral extraction. Mr Dickson said traditional authorities had been involved in the process leading to the programme’s launch, emphasising the importance of community participation in ensuring its success.

He also called for land reclamation interventions in Nzema East, saying the District deserved support to restore areas degraded by mining activities. The launch of the Axim-Agona, Adekreso and Akango cooperative mining initiative is expected to provide a framework for organized mining while promoting compliance with the law, environmental protection and skills development.

The minister’s warning, however, underscored that the benefits of the programme would depend on the groups’ ability to maintain discipline, operate within their authorised areas and uphold the standards required of them. The Member of Parliament for the area, Kofi Arko Nokoe, the Paramount chief for Nsein, Awulae Agyefi kwame II and the National coordinator for RSCOMDEP were present.

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