The Flagbearer of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, has promised to make key changes to Ghana’s mining laws if he is voted into power by Ghanaians during the upcoming December 2024 general election.
Addressing the Western Regional House of Chiefs on Thursday, May 2, 2024, during his Western Regional campaign tour, Dr. Bawumia said that one of the major changes he would bring as president to Ghana’s laws is formalizing small-scale mining.
The NPP flagbearer noted that the chiefs would play a very essential role in the issuance of mining licenses to miners in their communities, citinewsroom.com reports.
He also said that, under his presidency, the mining laws of the country would be amended to allow for the localisation of important mining agencies like the Minerals Commission and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
‘We want to formalize small-scale mining, but we cannot be successful without the participation of Chiefs. The chiefs have to be part of the licensing of min
ers in their locality. They have to be part of the whole process.
‘And so, we have to make the necessary amendments to the Mining Act to do all of this. Decentralize the Mineral Commission to be in the various districts, decentralize the Environmental Protection Agency,’ the vice president is quoted to have said.
Source: Ghana Web