The Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources has issued a two-week ultimatum to 962 small-scale mining licence holders, warning of immediate revocation if irregularities in their documentation and operations are not rectified.
Lands Minister Emmanuel Armah Kofi-Buah announced the directive on Monday after receiving a ministerial committee report that audited 1,278 mining licences.
The review found only 316 licences fully compliant, while the remaining 962 exhibited serious discrepancies, including incomplete documentation, procedural flaws, and data inconsistencies.
“We will not tolerate breaches of mining regulations,” the Minister declared. “Operators must regularise their status by August 4, 2025, or face permanent licence cancellation.” The crackdown forms part of broader government efforts to eradicate illegal mining (galamsey) and enforce sustainable practices in Ghana’s mining sector.
Minister Kofi-Buah emphasized plans to overhaul licensing systems, ensuring transparency and accountability in small-scale mining. He also revealed that large-scale mining licences will soon undergo similar scrutiny.
The Minister is set to provide further details at the Government Accountability Series at Jubilee House on Wednesday, July 23.
This move reinforces Ghana’s push to curb environmental degradation caused by unlawful mining, which has devastated water bodies and forests nationwide.