The Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources has issued a two-week ultimatum to 962 small-scale mining licence holders, warning that their permits will be revoked if identified irregularities are not rectified by August 4, 2025.
The warning follows the submission of a report by a ministerial committee tasked with reviewing the status of small-scale mining licences nationwide. The report was formally presented to Lands Minister Emmanuel Armah Kofi-Buah on Monday, July 21, 2025, at the Ministry’s headquarters in Accra.
According to the Ministry’s Media Relations Officer, Paa Kwesi Schandorf, the review assessed 1,278 licences in total. Of these, only 316 were found to be in good standing, while the remaining 962 showed various compliance issues.
“These issues include documentation gaps, process anomalies, and data inconsistencies,” Schandorf explained.
Licences to Be Revoked if Issues Persist
In response to the findings, Minister Armah Kofi-Buah issued a firm warning, stressing that all licence holders flagged in the report must address the anomalies within the stipulated time frame or risk losing their permits permanently.
“This is part of our ongoing efforts to clamp down on illegal mining activities and to preserve Ghana’s natural resources. We will not hesitate to revoke licences where the rules have been breached,” the Minister stated.
He added that the Ministry is committed to a comprehensive reform of the small-scale mining sector, aiming to bring greater transparency and accountability to the licensing process.
“We are committed to sanitising the small-scale mining space, and this is only the beginning. Beyond small-scale mining, we will soon initiate a review of large-scale mining licences as well to ensure full compliance across the entire sector,” he said.
Broader Efforts to Combat Illegal Mining
The move forms part of a broader government crackdown on illegal mining, which has led to widespread environmental degradation, including pollution of water bodies and destruction of forest reserves.
Minister Kofi-Buah is expected to provide additional updates on the directive during the upcoming Government Accountability Series at Jubilee House on Wednesday, July 23, 2025.
