Mahama appoints Deputy CEO of Minerals Commission as Acting Chief Executive

President John Mahama has appointed the current Deputy Chief Executive of the Minerals Commission, Isaac Andrews Tandoh, as Acting Chief Executive of the institution.

Mr. Tandoh takes over from Martin Kwaku Ayisi, who has been reassigned to the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources.

Joy Business reported that the appointment was made on August 29, 2025,, and Mr. Tandoh is expected to formally assume office on September 15 2025.

Until his nomination, Mr. Tandoh served as Deputy Chief Executive in charge of Small-Scale and Industrial Minerals.

Profile of Mr. Andoh

Mr. Isaac Andrews Tandoh has over 23 years of experience in open-pit mining, project management, operational oversight, team leadership, efficiency optimisation, and strategic planning.

Before joining the Minerals Commission, he was the ACTING General Manager at Goldfields, where he managed production and development activities to meet the both daily and long-term targets for sustainability.

And he was later the substantive Mining Manager of Goldfields Ghana LTD, Tarkwa Mine. Mr. Tandoh also led third-party negotiations on behalf of Goldfields with Liebherr, AECI, Mantrac etc

Mr. Tandoh is credited with leading third-party supply programs on behalf of mining contractors in partnership with firms such as Mantrac, Liebherr, Total Ghana, Cummins, and AECI (Explosives), ensuring consistent delivery of yearly targets.

He holds a BSc in Mining Engineering from the University of Mines and Technology, Tarkwa, an MBA in Corporate Finance from Walden University, USA, and an MSc in Mining Engineering and Management from the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology.

He also holds several professional certificates in mining, finance, and business administration.

Industry Expectations

Industry stakeholders will be watching closely to see how Mr. Tandoh addresses one of the sector’s biggest challenges—illegal mining (galamsey).

Government has also announced plans to increase Ghanaian ownership in the mining sector.

The Minerals Commission recently disclosed that government intends to reduce the duration of mining leases from 30 years to 15 years.

However, there are concerns about how the revised policy will be implemented, along with the proposed removal of development agreements extended to mining firms.

The Ghana Chamber of Mines has already raised strong objections, warning that such measures could discourage fresh investment in the sector.

Source: Joy Business

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