Accra: The Centre for Public Interest Law (CEPIL) has called for reforms to Ghana's mining compensation regime, arguing that affected communities deserve fairer, more adequate, and sustainable compensation for lands, crops, and livelihoods lost to mining activities. According to Ghana News Agency, the call came during a legal literacy and capacity-building programme for mining-affected communities in the Eastern Region under the Fair Finance Project, which is supported by Oxfam in Ghana. Mr. Augustine Niber, Executive Director of CEPIL, highlighted that compensation remains one of the most contentious issues in mining communities, particularly for farmers whose livelihoods depend on long-term crops such as cocoa, oil palm, and citrus. "The biggest issue has always been the determination of the rate of compensation, particularly to be paid for crops," Mr. Niber stated. He noted that while compensation packages might appear substantial when paid as lump sums, they often fail to reflect the long-term income fa rmers would have earned from their farms. "For several years to come, they would continue to live on those crops and farms. But unfortunately, the type of rates determined and paid to them are usually one-time payments," he explained. Mr. Niber pointed out that cocoa farms, for example, could provide income for generations, yet compensation is often calculated as a one-off payment that leaves affected farmers without sustainable means of support once the money is exhausted. He emphasized that the 1992 Constitution requires fair, adequate, and prompt compensation for persons affected by compulsory acquisition or loss of property, but many affected communities continue to face challenges in accessing such protections. He further argued that aspects of Ghana's mining laws require review, contending that the legal framework is largely designed to attract foreign investment into the extractive sector. "If you look at our law and the memorandum that established the law, you will see that it is skewed towards the attraction of foreign direct investment into the sector," he said. "The law seems, to a larger extent, to protect foreign operators to the detriment of community people." Mr. Niber highlighted that this situation exposes communities to vulnerabilities, including inadequate compensation, human rights concerns, and limited bargaining power during negotiations. CEPIL introduced the training to help community members better understand mining laws, compensation procedures, and their rights under existing legal frameworks. He expressed the hope that participants would transfer the knowledge acquired to others in their communities and advocate for improvements in mining governance and compensation practices. Some participants shared concerns about the impact of mining activities on farming livelihoods, emphasizing the need for a more equitable approach to compensation.
- June 26, 2026
