Wisdom Gomashie, Co-Chair of the NPP Environmental Committee, has called on the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, to explain what he describes as inconsistencies in official government records on the implementation of the Responsible Cooperative Mining and Skills Development Programme (rCOMSDEP).

In a Facebook post commenting on the 2026 Mid-Year Budget Review on July 28, 2026, he cited three official government documents which, he said, provide conflicting accounts of the programme’s progress.

According to him, the 2026 Budget Statement informed Parliament that three Cooperative Mining Schemes had been launched at Obuasi, Bibiani and Anwia-Teleku Bokazo.

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He said a Right to Information (RTI) response issued by the Cooperative Mining Secretariat in May 2026, however, indicated that only the Anwia-Teleku Bokazo scheme had reached an advanced stage, while work on the other schemes was still ongoing.

He also pointed to the 2026 Mid-Year Budget Review, which stated that the first Cooperative Mining Scheme was launched at Akyem Kotoku in June 2026.

“Three official government documents, three different stories. Which one should Ghanaians believe?” he wrote.

He said the differing accounts raise questions about the implementation of the programme and urged the Lands and Natural Resources Minister to clarify which of the official records accurately reflects its progress.

He also questioned the pace of implementation, asking why only one scheme appears to have been effectively established after nearly two years, while illegal mining continues to spread.

“If only one scheme has effectively been established after nearly two years, what explains the slow implementation while illegal mining continues to spread?” he asked.

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He also sought an explanation for the temporary mining permits reportedly issued to some people found at illegal mining sites, asking whether the permits are backed by law and support the government’s efforts to stop illegal mining.

He raised concerns over the programme’s leadership, noting that three National Coordinators have been appointed in less than two years and questioning the frequent changes.



DR/MA