Livelihood and Environment Ghana (LEG) has urged lawmakers to beef up the Minerals and Mining (Compensation and Resettlement) Act, 2012, to safeguard farmers and rural communities from the disruptive impacts of mining.
Presenting their draft policy recommendations in Accra, LEG leaders highlighted gaps that leave locals vulnerable to open-ended moratoriums, arbitrary land seizures, and opaque compensation processes.
Executive Director Richard Adjei-Poku pointed out that the current law allows mining firms to declare moratoriums—which bar farmers from accessing or using their land—without a clear procedure or deadline.
“Without defined time limits, these moratoriums can drag on indefinitely, trapping communities in legal limbo,” he said. LEG’s proposal would enshrine moratoriums in law with strict timelines and transparent imposition steps.
The group also called for legally binding definitions of “suitable alternative land,” “economic well‑being,” and “socio‑cultural values” to ensure resettled families receive plots matching their original farmland’s productivity and cultural importance. Drawing on Regulation 6(1) of Legislative Instrument 2175, which requires compensation and resettlement, LEG recommends that replacement land be equal in value—and actively negotiated with affected farmers.
To prevent one-sided compensation deals, LEG proposes mandatory, meaningful consultation with landowners at every stage of valuation and payment determination. The group also wants annual publication and public notification of crop price lists by the Land Valuation Division and the Ministry of Food and Agriculture, so compensation rates reflect true market values.
Beyond amendments to the Act, LEG flagged broader community needs: guaranteed youth employment quotas in mining areas, post‑mine access to safe water, road rehabilitation funded by mining revenues, and a community‑driven compensation model that balances company interests with local livelihoods.
Dr. Abdulai Darimani, LEG research consultant, stressed that implementing these reforms would foster a more peaceful partnership between mining companies and host communities, reducing conflicts and ensuring shared prosperity. “A transparent, rights‑based compensation framework benefits all parties,” he said, “by providing clarity, fairness, and trust.”
LEG has submitted its policy draft to relevant ministries and parliamentary committees, urging swift action so that Ghana’s rural populations are no longer left at the mercy of loopholes in the current mining law.
