Calls are mounting for a comprehensive review of Ghana’s mining laws, as experts warn that the current framework overly prioritises revenue generation at the expense of environmental protection and community welfare.
Speaking on the Asaase Breakfast Show, renowned criminologist and legal scholar Professor Ken Attafuah urged policymakers to rethink the country’s approach to resource management, stressing that sustainable development must balance state interests with the rights of affected communities.
“We have advanced laws that enable the state to pursue its economic ambitions,” Prof. Attafuah said. “But those same laws have neglected local communities and weakened accountability mechanisms.”
He argued that while Ghana has made significant progress in formalising its mining sector, the cumulative impact of its regulatory approach has often disadvantaged host communities.
His remarks echoed concerns raised by Kwaku Afari, Technical Director of WACAM, who described the existing mining framework as “promotional” rather than protective.
“Our laws allow companies to divert and impound water bodies. The destruction we see today is the legal outcome of those provisions,” Afari explained, adding that the Minerals Commission’s limited capacity—“with about 50 offices overseeing over 7,000 licences”—makes effective monitoring nearly impossible.
Both experts called for urgent legal and institutional reforms, including stronger environmental safeguards, enhanced monitoring capacity, and the inclusion of community voices in decision-making.
Prof. Attafuah commended WACAM and other civil society groups for consistently drawing attention to the human and ecological costs of mining, urging the government to adopt a more inclusive and forward-looking model.
“We must move from a purely economic mindset to one that centres people, human rights, and sustainability,” he emphasised.
Observers note that Ghana’s mining sector, which contributes significantly to GDP, continues to face challenges of environmental degradation, poor reclamation practices, and weak local engagement — issues experts say can only be addressed through a holistic reform of mining governance.
