Ghana: “Take the Gold, but Restore the Land” — Lands Minister Charges Five Mining Cooperatives*

The message was clear at Nkroful in the Ellembelle District: Ghana can mine its gold without sacrificing its land, rivers and the livelihoods of future generations. The Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Hon. Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah delivered this charge at the inauguration of five Responsible Cooperative Mining and Skills Development Programme (rCOMSDEP) societies; Salman, Atomic, Asanta, Bomoakpole and Akropong. The ceremony marked another step in the government’s effort to bring small-scale mining under effective regulation, with the Minister presenting certificates and permits to the cooperatives to support their operations within approved concessions. He described the initiative as a deliberate attempt to restore order to the sector and demonstrate that mining could be both economically rewarding and environmentally responsible. The Regional Director of the Department of Cooperatives, Mr. Akwasi Adjei Bawuah, described the inauguration as more than a formal ceremony, saying it represented an opportunity to reshape the future of small-scale mining in the Western Region. He said the five societies had a responsibility to replace the long-standing perception of small-scal

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