…Ken Ashigbey demands
The convener of the Media Coalition Against Galamsey, Dr Kenneth Ashigbey, has called for the immediate dismissal of the Minerals Commission’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Martin Ayisi, following the government’s decision to revoke all small-scale mining licences issued by the Akufo-Addo administration after December 7, 2024.
The revocation, announced by the current Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, follows recommendations from a technical committee established by the Ministries of Lands and Natural Resources and Environment, Science, and Technology.
Mr Armah-Kofi Buah, explained that the revoked licences had been granted without adhering to proper regulatory processes, necessitating their cancellation.
“These licences were issued in violation of established procedures, and their revocation is essential to restore integrity to the sector,” he stated during the announcement.
However, Dr Ashigbey, speaking on Eyewitness News on Citi FM last Friday, argued that the Minerals Commission, under the leadership of Martin Ayisi, bears direct responsibility for issuing these questionable licences.
He called for Mr Ayisi’s removal, emphasising the need for accountability in the sector.
“The Minister is revoking licences that were issued through unapproved means, and we are asking who supervised their issuance. If it’s the Minerals Commission, then the one in charge should be held responsible, with his appointment revoked,” Dr Ashigbey asserted.
He further stressed that revoking licences alone is insufficient without addressing the leadership failures that enabled such irregularities to occur.
The joint committee’s recommendations also include a complete overhaul of the Community Mining Scheme, the decentralisation of mining licence issuance, and the repeal of Legislative Instrument (L.I.) 2462, which grants the President the authority to authorise mining in forest reserves.
These measures aim to curb illegal mining activities, commonly referred to as “galamsey,” which have caused significant environmental degradation across the country.
Dr Ashigbey’s call for accountability, has sparked a broader debate about governance and oversight in Ghana’s mining sector.
As the government moves to implement the committee’s recommendations, stakeholders are watching closely to see whether leadership changes will accompany the policy reforms.
The Anti-Galamsey Coalition’s Convenor also proposed establishing a fast-track court as a key measure to curb illegal mining, particularly involving foreigners. Such a court would ensure that offenders are sanctioned and fined before being deported.
His suggestion follows a directive by the Minister for the Interior, Muntaka Mohammed Mubarak, cautioning that any foreigner found engaging in illegal mining (galamsey) or fraudulent activities would be repatriated. The minister made this declaration while addressing the Regional Command Conference at the Police Headquarters on 21 March.
In response, Dr Ashigbey, argued that deportation alone would not be effective, as many of these foreigners could easily find their way back into the country due to Ghana’s porous borders.
Muntaka, who also spoke on Eyewitness News on Citi FM on 21 March, stressed that imposing fines through a fast-track court system could serve as both a deterrent and a means to restore damaged forest reserves and water bodies.
“…But there are a few things that are not being done right. The Minerals and Mining Act, as amended in 2019, provides stricter sanctions. When you deport these people, they will come back again. So what you should do is set up a 24-hour fast-track court so that within 24 hours, when these foreigners are arrested, they are taken to court and fined.
“These fines should be used to restore the forest and water bodies. After they finish serving that long sentence, then we deport them. We should not just deport them because when we do that, they will return. This is one of the wrong policies in the fight against galamsey,” he suggested.
However, he commended the government for the initiatives implemented to combat the illegal mining menace and urged his members to join the fight against the practice.
“This government is on the right path by dealing with the issue of galamsey. But there are still many correct measures that need to be taken. The issue of declaring war on galamsey is up… The fact that we have heard the President add his voice to it and ask those in his government who want to go into mining to resign first before doing so—these are all correct steps. And all of us in the media coalition must add our voices to support the government to succeed,” he stated.