The Chief Executive Officer of the Minerals Commission, Martin Kwaku Ayisi, has revealed that the core issue behind illegal mining, or ‘galamsey,’ is the lack of designated areas for small-scale miners to work.
Speaking at the public sitting of the Assurance Committee of Parliament on Monday, October 7, 2024, Mr. Ayisi warned that without addressing this, efforts to tackle galamsey will remain futile.
He lamented the lack of government funding for exploration to identify areas for small-scale miners.
“Since 1989, we’ve not been doing exploration,” he stated, attributing this to the governments’ failures to allocate resources to the Geological Survey Authority.
Ayisi recounted the history of small-scale mining in Ghana, noting that it was largely prohibited from the colonial era through the tenure of Kwame Nkrumah and the Precious Minerals Marketing Corporation (PMC).
He stressed the impact of the structural adjustment policies, which led to the sale of state-owned mines like Tarkwa, Prestia, and Dunkwa.
“That’s why today, some people say we don’t own the mines,” he said.
He pointed out that the World Bank and IMF’s recommendation in 1989 led to the introduction of the Small-Scale Gold Law, which was intended to formalize artisanal mining activities.
However, Ayisi questioned the rationale behind such measures, remarking, “I don’t know what diamond or gold is produced in Togo,” alluding to the strange comparisons made at the time.
He outlined four strategies the government is pursuing to provide land for small-scale miners, including redistributing areas surrendered by large-scale companies, cancelled licenses, and returned exploration zones. He acknowledged, though, that the process of exploration “will take time.”
The CEO welcomed the recent pledges by Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia to allocate $10 million for Geological Survey work and similar commitments from the opposition NDC.
Ayisi also stressed the importance of distinguishing between legal small-scale mining and galamsey, noting that while galamsey is already banned, the focus should be on formalizing small-scale operations.
He warned that the small-scale mining sector has grown exponentially from 100,000 miners in five regions during the 1990s to over 3 million miners spread across 13 regions today.
He averred that the state’s failure to provide legal mining areas has only worsened the situation.
Mr. Ayisi indicated that until more resources are dedicated to exploring areas for small-scale miners the galamsey will persist.
He said, “It’s the biggest headache we have as a nation now,” urging sustained political and financial support to address the issue.