Gov’t Scraps Community Mining Schemes, Introduces Mining Cooperatives for Better Regulation

The government has dissolved all 26 Community Mining Schemes with immediate effect, citing inefficiencies and lack of proper community benefits.

Lands and Natural Resources Minister, Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, made the announcement during a press briefing in Accra, stating that the schemes existed in name only and failed to serve their intended purpose. To ensure better governance and local representation, they will be replaced by Mining Cooperatives.

The move follows an interim report by an 18-member Working Committee set up last month to review mining licenses and combat illegal mining. The report concluded that Community Mining Schemes were not effectively benefiting local communities.

In addition, the government has revoked all small-scale mining licenses issued after December 7, 2024, by the previous administration. A newly established Technical Small-Scale Mining Review Committee, chaired by Deputy Lands Minister Yusif Sulemana, will audit all existing licenses to ensure compliance with environmental and regulatory standards.

The committee, comprising representatives from the Environmental Protection Agency, Minerals Commission, Forestry Commission, Water Resources Commission, and the Attorney-General’s Office, has been given two months to complete its review.

License holders are required to cooperate, or risk having their permits revoked. Meanwhile, the ministries of Lands and Natural Resources, and Environment, Science, and Technology are working on a new classification system for small-scale mining.