The General Secretary of the Ghana National Association of Small-Scale Miners (GNASSM), Godwin N. Armah, has expressed deep concern over the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources’ decision to issue a two-week ultimatum regarding irregular mining licences.
Speaking in an interview on Adom FM’s morning show Dwaso Nsem, Mr. Armah said the Association was taken aback by the news, which they only heard through the media on Monday, July 21.
“We were shocked. It was just yesterday that we heard about it in the media. As members of the government’s committee on mining, at no point were we told to bring our licences or that there would be such an ultimatum,” he said.
Mr. Armah explained that although there is a committee responsible for reviewing licences, small-scale miners expected that any miner facing issues with their licence would be directly contacted following the committee’s investigations.
He also disclosed ongoing technical challenges with uploading licence data onto the Minerals Commission’s system.
“The Minerals Card (M-card) system started in 2022. Many of the licences were uploaded, but there were serious challenges with the process. That is not the fault of the small-scale miners who went through the right procedures,” he explained.
He stressed that these irregularities should not be used as the basis to revoke licences or prevent mining activities.
“It takes a long time to upload the M-cards, and the system itself has its own technical problems. That doesn’t mean the miners are operating illegally,” he added.
Mr. Armah described the two-week ultimatum as unfair and called for proper engagement.
“The licensing process is already very difficult. There are many people currently going through the process or seeking reviews of their licences. To now give everyone a blanket two-week deadline is simply not fair,” he noted.
He called on the Ministry and the committee to open lines of communication and provide clear recommendations.
“We are ready to engage with the Ministry to find a way forward. But at the very least, they should have spoken to us before going public with such a short notice,” he said.
Meanwhile, Ama Mawusi Mawuenyefia, Director of Communications at the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources, also speaking on the same show, clarified that the decision was not intended to punish small-scale miners.
“The goal is not to punish anyone. If there is a need to extend the deadline, the committee will consider it. But for now, we expect compliance with the directive,” she stated.
The Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Emmanuel Armah Kofi-Buah, had earlier warned that the licences of 962 small-scale miners risk being revoked.
This follows the submission of a report by a committee established to review existing small-scale mining licences.
Source: Dorcas Abedu-Kennedy
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