The Member of Parliament for South Tongu, Maxwell Lukutor, has called for a balanced and pragmatic approach in addressing the galamsey (illegal mining) menace, stressing the need to distinguish between illegal activities and responsible small-scale mining.
Speaking on Channel One TV’s Breakfast Daily on Tuesday, July 22, Mr. Lukutor noted that mining has long been an integral part of Ghana’s socio-economic framework and cannot be entirely eradicated.
“From where I sit, I think the government is making some inroads. The whole thing is very dicey — it’s a bread-and-butter issue,” he said. “That is why I say we are looking for ways to enumerate the issue to ensure there are alternative livelihoods for some of these people — because they are still Ghanaians.”
The MP emphasized that while illegal mining must be tackled, efforts to completely eliminate mining would be both unrealistic and economically damaging.
“Mining has been with us and will continue to be with us. It is the irresponsible ones we are concerned about,” he explained. “Once we fish out the irresponsible operators, others can continue to mine responsibly. The amount of money people make from mining is not a joke, so we cannot stop everyone — but we must ensure it’s done responsibly.”
His remarks come amid heightened regulatory efforts by the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources. On Monday, July 21, 2025, the Minister, Emmanuel Armah Kofi-Buah, announced that 962 small-scale mining licences may soon be revoked following a recent audit by a ministerial committee.
Out of 1,278 licences reviewed, only 316 were cleared. The remaining 962 were flagged due to issues such as documentation gaps, procedural anomalies, and poor data quality.
The Minister has given affected licence holders a two-week ultimatum to rectify the anomalies or risk permanent revocation of their licences.
Source:Mybrytfmonline.com/Nana Agyenim Boateng Sikapa
