Traditional leaders in the North East Region have petitioned the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources to formalise mining activities in the region through strategic partnerships between the state, traditional authorities and private investors.

The petition, submitted by the Overlord and elders of the area, seeks to promote responsible and sustainable mineral extraction while creating jobs and increasing economic opportunities for local communities.

The traditional leaders raised concerns about economic losses resulting from entities holding prospecting licences for more than 16 years without commencing mining operations.

They argued that formalising the region’s gold mining sector could help curb illegal mining, reduce environmental damage, create jobs for the youth, reduce migration and increase tax and royalty revenues for the state.

Responding to the petition, the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, said the concerns were consistent with government’s ongoing efforts to reform the mining licensing regime.

He disclosed that a new mining bill currently before Cabinet would introduce stricter performance assessments for companies holding prospecting licences.

According to the minister, the proposed reforms would allow government to revoke licences where holders fail to demonstrate progress after performance reviews, thereby making the concessions available to active and capable investors.

The minister said the reforms were aimed at eliminating speculative licensing and ensuring that mineral concessions were put to productive use.

The Minerals Commission has also committed to taking immediate steps to assess the situation in the North East Region.

Chief Executive Officer of the Minerals Commission, Isaac Tandoh, said a technical team would conduct field assessments to determine the legal status of existing mining titles and inspect the concessions.

The team will also work on developing a structured operational framework for the proposed partnership between traditional authorities, government and investors.

Representatives from the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources and the Minerals Commission have been nominated to coordinate the implementation of the proposed project.

The traditional leaders and government officials expressed confidence that replacing illegal mining activities with structured, large-scale mining operations would help protect the environment while creating sustainable economic opportunities for residents of the North East Region.



MA