Minister-designate for Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, Mahama Ayariga, has called for the deployment of mining engineers to every district to strengthen the monitoring and regulation of small-scale and artisanal mining activities.

Appearing before Parliament’s Appointments Committee on Thursday, August 27, Mr Ayariga said Ghana must significantly improve the technical capacity of institutions responsible for regulating the mining sector, particularly at the local level.

He proposed that the Minerals Commission and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) be adequately resourced and staffed with technical personnel who can operate within districts where mining activities are taking place.

“Let’s invest in Minerals Commission and have them a lot of mining engineers who are in every district.”

According to Mr Ayariga, the presence of mining engineers in every district would allow authorities to identify mining sites, monitor operators and ensure that mining activities are conducted in accordance with environmental regulations.

“They identify every single space where a mining activity is taking place to make sure that mining is protected in a way that is consistent with all the environmental regulations.”

Mr Ayariga said effective regulation of small-scale mining requires authorities to know where mining is taking place and who is responsible for the activity.

He argued that district-level monitoring would make it easier for government to distinguish between legitimate mining operations and illegal activities.

The minister-designate also called for a system that encourages small-scale miners to operate legally, saying many young people who want to mine legally face difficulties obtaining the necessary permits.

“A lot of these young people who want to mine legally have difficulty obtaining the requisite permits to carry out the mining activity.”

He said the difficulty in obtaining permits can push some operators into illegal mining, where they may also be reluctant to invest in proper equipment and environmentally responsible practices.

Mr Ayariga stressed that any effort to formalise small-scale mining must include strict protection for water bodies and existing agricultural land.

He proposed that authorities identify where miners are operating and determine areas where mining can legally and safely take place.

“Let’s engage, let’s ensure that they are doing it legally.”

He said mining should not be permitted in water bodies or in ways that displace existing farmers and destroy productive agricultural land.

Mr Ayariga said Ghana should not approach the mining sector solely from the perspective of prohibition, arguing that the country can benefit economically from small-scale mining if the activity is properly regulated.