Damang: The Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, officially inaugurated a new GHS12.3 million district office of the Minerals Commission in Damang, Prestea Huni-Valley Constituency, Western Region, on Monday, August 17, 2026. This newly established facility marks the fifth district office by the Commission in the region, aligning with the government's agenda to decentralize mining regulatory services and support closer to the communities involved in mining activities.
According to Ghana Web, the state-of-the-art facility is equipped with administrative offices, meeting rooms, and other support infrastructure. The initiative aims to provide easier access to the Minerals Commission's services, offering technical support and monitoring to local mining communities. Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah emphasized the government's commitment to ensuring that communities within the Damang-Huni Valley-Aboso enclave have direct access to these services, eliminating the need for long-distance travel to Accra for mining-related matters.
During the handover ceremony, the Minister highlighted the significance of the new office in transforming the mining landscape in Ghana. He stated that the decentralization of services would enable both small and large-scale operations, such as the Damang Mine, to access essential services within the district itself. This move is part of a broader decentralization drive that has seen the opening of over 32 new district Lands Commission offices nationwide within the past year.
In addition to the new office, Armah-Kofi Buah announced proposed reforms in the mining sector through a new bill laid in Parliament. The reforms aim to reduce the maximum mining lease duration from 30 years to 20 years, abolish reconnaissance licenses, and strengthen district mining committees. Exploration licenses under the proposed law will be valid for five years, with a focus on efficiency and local engagement in the licensing process.
The Chief Executive Officer of the Minerals Commission, Isaac Tandoh, expressed that the Damang office represents a significant step in modernizing mineral governance, making licensing, inspections, and environmental monitoring a localized service. The Deputy CEO, Emmanuel Anyimah, described the development as a strategic investment in enhancing service delivery at the district level. Local leaders, including the MP for Prestea-Huni-Valley, Mr. Wisdom Cudjoe, and the Chief of Damang, Nana Kwaku Armah, lauded the initiative and called for more job opportunities for the community residents.