Vice Chairman of Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee, Davis Ansah Opoku
The Vice Chairman of Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee, Davis Ansah Opoku, MP, has commended the Environmental Protection Agency and the Minerals Commission for the significant progress made in implementing recommendations aimed at improving the regulation of small-scale mining in Ghana.
He gave the commendation during Parliament’s consideration of the Public Accounts Committee’s Follow-up Report on the Auditor-General’s Performance Audit on Regulating Small-Scale Mining for a Sustainable Environment.
The report shows that the two institutions fully implemented 25 out of 29 recommendations contained in the earlier audit report.
The Minerals Commission fully implemented 14 recommendations, while the EPA fully implemented 11, with each institution partially implementing two outstanding recommendations.
Opoku described the level of implementation as encouraging and said it demonstrated the value of sustained parliamentary oversight and follow-up audits.
According to him, public institutions must not treat recommendations of the Auditor-General and Parliament as mere administrative suggestions, but as important measures for improving governance, accountability and service delivery.
He particularly welcomed the steps taken to strengthen licensing processes, improve environmental monitoring, enhance coordination between the EPA and the Minerals Commission, and promote better regulation of small-scale mining activities.
The Mpraeso MP, however, urged the two institutions to complete the remaining recommendations, especially those relating to reclamation bonds, the effectiveness of District Mining Committees and the provision of safer technologies for mineral processing.
He stressed that the commendation should serve as encouragement for the EPA and the Minerals Commission to deepen enforcement and ensure that progress recorded on paper translates into visible protection of water bodies, farmlands and mining communities.
“The implementation of 25 out of 29 recommendations is commendable. It shows that when Parliament follows up and institutions respond, real progress can be made. The remaining task is to ensure that these reforms produce measurable improvements on the ground,” he said.
Opoku also called for continued investment in technical staff, logistics and digital monitoring systems to strengthen field inspections and improve compliance within the mining sector.
He maintained that effective regulation of small-scale mining requires not only stronger laws, but also properly resourced institutions that can monitor operations, enforce environmental standards and hold offenders accountable.
AM
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