The government’s ambitious push to sanitise Ghana’s small-scale mining sector is gaining momentum, with the Responsible Cooperative Mining Skills and Development Programme (RCOMSDEP) holding a key engagement in Mpohor and Ahanta Districts of the Western Region.
The team visited mining communities in Mpohor and Ahanta Districts like Mpohor, Friti, Mmaa Mp3 Hia, Adwumako Patase, B3dwen, and camp 3 on December 16 and 17, 2025.
The sensitization drive, which forms part of government’s strategy to formalise artisanal mining and create sustainable jobs.
The initiative, championed by President John Dramani Mahama and Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Emmanuel Kofi Armah Buah, seeks to revolutionise mining by replacing unregulated operations with a regulated, environmentally friendly, and community-centred cooperative system.
A high-powered RCOMSDEP delegation met with local miners, chiefs, and traditional leaders in the Mpohor area to outline the national vision for sustainable and inclusive mining practices.
The RCOMSDEP team, led by George Dadzie Jnr, Deputy National Coordinator for Operations, alongside Kwadwo Debrah, and John Afful (Head of Communications), educated local miners on the transition from illicit methods to legal cooperative mining.
The Deputy National Coordinator in charge of Operations of RCOMSDEP, George Dadzie Jnr stressed that the government is committed to facilitating this transformation through concrete support measures, aiming to uplift the skills and capacity of small-scale miners.
He explained that the government is committed to providing training, resources, and technical support to help miners operate within legal and sustainable frameworks.
This support is intended to ensure that miners can employ efficient, modern techniques that minimise environmental degradation, which has historically plagued Ghana’s water bodies and forest reserves.
During the interactive session, the local miners shared significant structural hurdles they face, primarily relating to land ownership and resource allocation. They argued that the existing system often marginalises them despite their local knowledge and labour investment.
The miners voiced their concerns about limited access to concessions, noting that large-scale companies control most of the land.
The Head of Communications RCOMSDEP, John Afful, assured the miners that the new cooperative structure is specifically designed to address these inequities, promising steps to ensure fair opportunities for all miners who are willing to operate within the legal cooperative framework.
He said RCOMSDEP will continue its nationwide outreach, determined to build strategic partnerships with communities and stakeholders across Ghana’s resource-rich regions to advance the vision of responsible mining for national growth and prosperity.
“The Responsible Cooperative Mining Skills and Development Programme continues to extend its outreach across the regions of Ghana, building partnerships with communities and stakeholders to advance the vision of responsible mining for national growth and prosperity,” said Mr. John Afful.
By Benjamin Aidoo
