General News of 2026-10-15
Small-Scale miners must save part of earnings for land reclamation – Deputy Minister
The Deputy Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Alhaji Yusif Sulemana, has urged small-scale miners operating under the Responsible Cooperative Mining programme to set aside part of their earnings for land reclamation, warning that mining activities can leave lasting environmental damage even when rivers and forest reserves are avoided.
He said the requirement was part of the government's efforts to promote responsible mining, tackle illegal mining and ensure that degraded lands are restored after mineral extraction.
Alhaji Sulemana made the call at Anwunakrom in the Western Region during the inauguration of the Ahanta West/Mpohor Fiase Responsible Cooperative Mining Society, described at the ceremony as the first joint mining operation involving the two areas.
He stressed that responsible mining must go beyond avoiding rivers and protected forest reserves, as excavation and other mining activities could still leave the land severely degraded.
According to him, the programme's guidelines require miners to put aside funds for reclamation, with the amount determined by their respective production levels.
The Deputy Minister said the government was pursuing the cooperative mining initiative as an alternative to illegal mining by bringing small-scale miners who are willing to comply with the law into regulated operations.
He noted that the government had inherited a situation in which several water bodies had been heavily polluted and forest reserves faced threats from illegal mining. He said efforts were underway to equip miners with the necessary permits, certificates and technical support to operate legally and sustainably.
As part of the land restoration efforts, Alhaji Sulemana disclosed that the Ministry was collaborating with the Forestry Commission to provide seedlings and other planting materials to support the rehabilitation of mined-out areas.
He also announced that the government was targeting the registration of at least 50 responsible cooperative mining groups by the end of the year, as it seeks to expand regulated small-scale mining and strengthen environmental protection.
Meanwhile, the National Coordinator of the Responsible Cooperative Mining and Skills Development Programme (rCOMSDEP), Sheikh Seidu Sadiq, urged members of the newly inaugurated society to operate strictly within their designated concessions and comply with approved mining standards.
He called for effective monitoring by all stakeholders, including traditional authorities and residents of host communities, to ensure that the cooperative adheres to responsible mining practices.
The inauguration marks another step in the government's push to organise small-scale mining through cooperatives, with the success of the initiative expected to depend on compliance with mining regulations, effective supervision and the restoration of land affected by mining activities.
