The Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, has launched a flagship nationwide programme to reform artisanal and small-scale mining in Ghana.

Known as the Responsible Cooperative Mining and Skills Development Programme (rCOMSDEP), the initiative was formally launched on Wednesday, August 6, 2025, at Black Park, near the Obuasi Len Clay Sports Stadium in the Ashanti Region.

Addressing a gathering of government officials, miners, and industry leaders, the minister noted that the new programme replaces the Community Mining Scheme and the National Alternative Employment and Livelihood Programme (NAELP), which he said were poorly managed by the previous administration.

According to him, the dual initiatives failed to achieve their objectives, necessitating the implementation of rCOMSDEP as a solution to the shortcomings of the previous programmes.

"One of the first directives I issued as sector minister was to disband the erstwhile Community Mining Scheme (CMS). Our findings revealed that the scheme was not truly community-centered as intended and thus failed to achieve its objectives. The decision to dissolve it was designed to be yielding, to pave the way for a more comprehensive, structured, and regulated framework, one that is genuinely community-led and
community-based," he said.

The new programme, he said, will provide a strategic policy direction to improve the small-scale and artisanal mining sector while offering jobs and viable economic opportunities, particularly for those in mining communities across the country.

"Today marks a defining moment in Ghana’s journey towards sustainable development. We stand at the crossroads of transformation—where mining ceases to be a curse on our land and becomes a catalyst for prosperity, where degraded landscapes rise again as fields of opportunity, and where our youth no longer dig for survival but are equipped to build a future of dignity," the minister remarked.

"With the approval of His Excellency the President and Cabinet, this is the dawn of the Responsible Cooperative Mining and Skills Development Programme (rCOMSDEP)—Ghana’s boldest step yet to reclaim our environment, reform artisanal mining, and restore hope to our communities," he further emphasized.

Addressing the uniqueness of the new programme, Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah stated that rCOMSDEP will operate under three core pillars to serve its intended purpose.

These pillars include the implementation of responsible cooperative mining schemes, the provision of skills development and alternative livelihoods, and the restoration of depleted land reserves and community growth.

The programme, according to him, will encompass six key components: Cooperative Mining Schemes, Mine Support Services, Vocational Training and Entrepreneurship, Environmental Rehabilitation Programme, Agricultural Growth in Mining Areas, and Community Development.

The minister called on all relevant stakeholders to rally behind the programme to ensure its success for the benefit of mining communities and the country at large.

"Let us seize this moment to redefine the future of artisanal and small-scale mining in Ghana. Together, we can build a future where the relentless pursuit of resources beneath the earth’s surface is safe, legal, and sustainable—where our youth have skills, our land flourishes, and our communities prosper," the minister emphasized.

"We must collectively work to turn our waters blue and our forests green through responsible and sustainable mining. We begin that journey today. We must succeed! We have no option; it is our obligation to future generations," the minister added.

The full rollout of the programme will occur in the coming weeks with detailed plans, training sessions, and partnerships.

"In the coming weeks, we will roll out cooperative mining schemes nationwide. Each cooperative will undergo training and certification, supported by the University of Mines in Tarkwa, alongside a fast-tracked licensing process," he noted.

GA

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