Ghana’s long-awaited overhaul of its mining laws has taken a major step forward, with a revised Minerals and Mining Act, Act 703, and a new National Mining Policy now cleared by Cabinet and set to be laid before Parliament.
The Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Emmanuel Armah Kofi-Buah, made the disclosure at the 98th Annual General Meeting of the Ghana Chamber of Mines in Accra. where government and industry stakeholders gathered to discuss the future of responsible mining.
The proposed reforms form part of a broader effort to reset governance of the extractive sector, with emphasis on tightening oversight, improving compliance and reducing environmental harm linked to mining activities.
Mr Kofi-Buah said the review process, which has been in development for some time, is now at an advanced legislative stage.
“The Minerals and Mining Act, Act 703, as well as the National Mining Policy that we’ve worked on together for a long time, is currently before Cabinet and is travelling all the way to Parliament,” he stated.
He explained that the updated framework is expected to introduce stronger enforcement tools for regulators, particularly in relation to environmental protection and community engagement, while also improving transparency in licensing.
The changes are intended to address long-standing concerns about illegal mining, land degradation and weak compliance monitoring, especially in small-scale operations.
On that front, the minister signalled a tougher stance on enforcement, stressing that government would not allow mining practices that compromise water bodies and ecosystems.
“We want everybody to do mining but we want everybody to do mining without destroying our water bodies, our environment and without killing all of us and leaving a future for our future generation,” he said.
He added that the reforms are not targeted at any particular group of miners but are designed to ensure that all operators comply with sustainability standards.
“This is not about fighting a group of Ghanaians but trying to make sure that we get to the point that the practice of mining… is being done in a way to protect our environment and to sustain all of us,” he added.
Beyond regulation, the government is also seeking to improve efficiency in the licensing regime through reforms at the Minerals Commission, aimed at reducing delays and strengthening investor confidence.
Industry stakeholders at the AGM welcomed the policy direction but stressed the need for consistency and predictability in regulation to sustain investment flows.
President of the Ghana Chamber of Mines, Frederick Attakumah, said the sector’s performance continues to underpin Ghana’s foreign exchange earnings and called for policies that support expansion and value creation.
He outlined growth, local content participation and environmental, social and governance (ESG) standards as the industry’s key priorities going forward.
Chief Executive Officer of the Chamber, Kenneth Ashigbey, also cautioned that investor confidence depends heavily on secure mining rights and stable policy frameworks.
He called for deeper collaboration between government and industry, particularly in expanding local participation and increasing domestic processing and manufacturing linked to mining.
The AGM served as a platform for renewed dialogue on balancing economic gains from mining with environmental sustainability and community impact.
