Government on track to meet extractive sector promises - CSOs scorecard

The Alliance of Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) working on extractive governance, forestry, the environment, and anti-corruption has rated the government’s performance in fulfilling its extractive sector manifesto promises as satisfactory.

The Alliance noted that at the current implementation rate of 25 percent per year, the government is on track to achieve full delivery of its commitments within four years.

These findings were presented in the Alliance’s latest CSOs Assessment Scorecard on Government Performance, which covers mining, petroleum, climate/energy transition, forestry and environment, and anti-corruption.

However, the Alliance urged the government to intensify efforts toward its anti-corruption commitments, warning that delays could hinder successful implementation and leave key promises unmet by 2028.

Launching the scorecard in Accra on Tuesday, the Country Manager of the Natural Resource Governance Institute (NRGI), Patrick Stephenson, emphasised that the assessment was neither an indictment nor a political judgment.

Rather, he described it as a tool intended to help the government meet the development expectations of citizens.

He explained that the scorecard serves as “a call to strengthen governance systems that protect Ghana’s natural wealth,” adding that it promotes transparency and collaboration among government, civil society, and development partners.

Stephenson urged the government to take the findings seriously, engage constructively in areas lagging behind, strengthen institutions, and ensure that evidence — not politics — guides decision-making.

According to the report, the government exceeded the 25 percent benchmark in all thematic areas during its first year, except in anti-corruption, where it scored 23.04 percent.

Presenting the detailed assessment, the Executive Director of the Centre for Extractive Development Africa (CEDA), Samuel Bekoe, noted that although progress had been made, several mining sector promises had yet to see concrete action.

He cited, for instance, the commitment to categorise mining into small-, medium-, and large-scale operations, as well as the decentralisation of small-scale mining licensing — both of which were rated as having “no action” due to the lack of stakeholder engagement or formal policy steps.

Bekoe said some commitments had been completed, including the establishment of the Gold Board, supported by legislation and budgetary allocations.

He added that the creation of the National Mine Oversight System (NIMOS) and ongoing measures to curb illegal mining were rated as “in progress.”

He advocated a decentralised approach to addressing illegal mining, stressing that district assemblies and chief executives must be held accountable for reducing the activity within their jurisdictions.

Responding to the findings, the Media Relations Officer at the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources, Derrick Schandorf Ayirebi-Acquah, said the Ministry welcomed the assessment but remained vigilant.

He acknowledged that while progress had been recorded, improvements in water quality and the restoration of degraded lands would require time. Ayirebi-Acquah rated the government’s overall performance at 8.5 out of 10, citing both legislative reforms and operational interventions.