'This is a matter of law' - Armah-Kofi Buah on revocation of 'galamsey' licenses under NPP

The Minister-Designate for Lands and Natural Resources, Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, has emphasised that the issue of mining licenses is fundamentally a matter of law.

According to him, if approved as the sector minister, he plans to review the country’s licensing regime comprehensively.

He explained that some individuals exploit the small-scale mining classification while holding over 50 licenses, a number that could qualify them as large-scale miners.

Appearing before the Appointments Committee on January 27, 2025, he stated, “My intention is to undertake a holistic review of the licensing regime. There is so much duplication of licenses where a single individual holds over 50 licenses because they have not been classified as large-scale miners. They want to continue mining in contiguous areas. We need to examine this recategorization to address issues in license issuance.”

When asked whether he would consider revoking licenses issued without due process, he responded, “We are guided by the law.”

At this point, the Chairman of the Committee, Bernard Ahiafor, interjected, stating, “This is a matter of law.”

SSD/MA

Watch videos from Naa Momo Lartey's vetting below: