Ghana’s Minerals Commission has rolled out a new three-stage clearance process for mining operations, emphasizing that possession of a mining lease alone no longer grants automatic permission to begin work.
Speaking on Citi FM on Monday, April 22, 2025, the Commission’s Deputy CEO in charge of small-scale and industrial minerals, Isaac Andrew Tandoh, said the new framework is aimed at curbing illegal mining and reinforcing regulatory oversight.
“People assume once they get a mining lease, they can move in and start digging. That’s a wrong impression. It actually amounts to an illegality,” Tandoh explained.
Under the revised process, mining companies must now secure:
- An environmental permit from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA),
- A water use permit from the Water Resources Commission, and
- An operational permit from the Minerals Commission itself.
The stricter measures come in the wake of a major crackdown on illegal mining—known locally as galamsey—that recently led to the arrest of 51 individuals, including eight Chinese nationals, in the Tonton Forest Reserve. Thirty excavators and five weapons were confiscated in that operation alone.
Tandoh revealed that over 150 excavators have been seized nationwide so far this year as part of the government’s intensified campaign to protect water bodies and forest reserves from destructive mining practices.
“This government is committed to the galamsey fight. We will not back down until our rivers and forests are safe again,” he said.
He also addressed ongoing concerns about corruption within regulatory bodies. An undercover investigation, he disclosed, has uncovered evidence of collusion between some illegal miners and officials of the Forestry Commission.
“There are people on government payroll who are actively facilitating these illegal activities. We are taking steps to remove them,” he said, adding that internal audits are also underway within the Minerals Commission to ensure its integrity.
Responding to criticism that the crackdown is politically biased, Tandoh insisted the enforcement drive is non-partisan.
“Whether you belong to the NPP or NDC, it doesn’t matter. The law must be upheld. Our institutions must work for Ghana, not for politics,” he said.
He confirmed that the President has thrown his full support behind the new measures and called on all Ghanaians to take collective responsibility in the fight against illegal mining.
“If we don’t come together as a nation, we’ll lose this battle. This isn’t just about today—it’s about future generations and the land our ancestors entrusted to us,” Tandoh concluded.
