Mining must benefit communities without destroying their environment – Lands Minister
Lands and Natural Resources Minister Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah has described responsible mining as a key measure of Ghana’s progress, stressing that mineral extraction must benefit local communities without leaving them to bear the environmental and social costs.
In an address at the 2026 Mining in Motion Conference on Monday, October 19, under the theme ‘One Continent, One Voice on Minerals: Aligning Africa’s Minerals Future’, Mr Buah said communities living closest to mineral resources must be able to experience the benefits of mining while their lands and water bodies are protected from environmental damage.
“On responsible mining, there is another test for our progress. The people who live closest to mineral wealth should be able to recognise its benefits, and their rivers and lands should not be left to carry its costs,” he said.
He said Ghana had revoked the instrument that permitted mining in forest reserves and strengthened efforts to combat illegal mining and environmental destruction.
The Minister added that the government was pursuing land reclamation while supporting lawful small-scale miners to organise their operations, improve safety and adopt better mining methods.
He identified the Responsible Cooperative Mining and Skills Development Programme as one of the initiatives aimed at promoting more responsible practices in the small-scale mining sector.
“Our responsibility is to bring enforcement, opportunity, and restoration together,” he said.
Mr Buah stressed that the country’s progress in managing its mineral resources should be assessed not only by the revenue generated from mining but also by the impact on the lives of people in mining communities.
“A country cannot call a mining project successful if families are left without safe water or a future after the extraction of that mineral,” he said.
The Minister said community development agreements, transparent oversight and credible environmental obligations are essential to ensuring that mining activities deliver lasting benefits to host communities.
He noted that these measures are also important for building confidence in the mining sector and ensuring that companies fulfilled their responsibilities to communities and the environment.
Mr Buah also assured investors, financiers, technology partners and international development institutions that Ghana was working to reform the governance of its mineral wealth and improve how its benefits were shared.
He acknowledged that meaningful reforms required consultation, adjustment and patience, and called for constructive engagement from investors and development partners as the process continued.
“I ask for your understanding and constructive engagement as this work moves forward. In return, we should expect clear rules, fair administration, open dialogue, and respect for lawful agreements. That is what Ghana stands for,” he said.
The Minister added that mining investments needed to be commercially viable and capable of delivering reasonable returns, assuring partners that Ghana was prepared to work with them towards that objective.
He stressed that Ghana's approach to mineral development must balance investment and commercial viability with environmental responsibility, community welfare and accountability.
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