The National Democratic Congress (NDC) Member of Parliament for Wasa East, Isaac Adjei Mensah, has claimed that all small-scale miners in Ghana are technically operating illegally because they do not possess valid mining licenses.
According to the MP, most small-scale miners work with prospecting licenses rather than the required mining licenses, which makes their operations unlawful under Ghana’s mining laws.
Speaking on Badwam on Adom TV during a discussion on illegal mining, Mr. Adjei Mensah who also serves as the Chairman of Parliament’s Roads and Transport Committee and has over a decade of experience in the mining sector explained that a prospecting license only allows individuals or companies to explore for minerals, not to mine them.
“A prospecting license only permits you to search and inform the Minerals Commission about where you intend to mine; it does not authorize you to extract minerals,” he emphasized.
He outlined that for any small-scale miner to operate legally, they must apply for a mining license through the Minerals Commission, which involves submitting an application at the district office, publishing it in the gazette for public objections, undergoing a review process, and finally obtaining approval from the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources.
The Wasa East legislator challenged the Minerals Commission to prove him wrong by presenting evidence of any small-scale miner who has been granted a valid mining license after obtaining a prospecting permit.
Mr. Adjei Mensah further noted that some small-scale miners have exploited the system by using prospecting licenses to invite Chinese investors to engage in illegal mining activities, worsening the problem of galamsey across the country.
While he does not support the cancellation of existing prospecting licenses, the MP urged the Minerals Commission to regularize and issue proper mining licenses to small-scale miners to ensure accountability and regulation similar to that of large-scale operators.
He also disclosed that the Chinese government has expressed readiness to assist Ghana in reclaiming lands destroyed by illegal mining activities.
