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Martin Ayisi Justifies Issuance of New Licenses To Small-Scale Miners
The Chief Executive Officer of the Minerals Commission, Mr. Martin Ayisi has justified the need for the issuance of licenses to Small Scale Miners despite calls by well-meaning Ghanaians on the government to stop all forms of small-scale and illegal mining.
The Minerals Commission’s boss made the statement when he appeared before the Assurances Committee of Parliament to respond to his outfit’s role in the issuance of mining licenses to small-scale miners, the upsurge in illegal mining as well as measures geared towards curtailing the menace in the country.
Mr. Ayisi opined that a move to stop issuing licenses to small-scale miners would worsen the situation, adding that delayed license issuance has been a major contributing factor to the illegal mining crisis.
He said, “When you don’t give them the licenses, what they would do is that they will go and do it illegally.” “To say we shouldn’t grant licenses that will be a problem.”
Additionally, he stated that in 2018 when the government placed a complete ban on small-scale mining, Ghana recorded 48% of small-scale production in the history of the country where Ghana toppled South Africa.
He explained that, for one to obtain a license or authorization for small-scale mining, one must go through the Minerals Commission, Environmental Protection Agency, Forestry Commission among others, and stressed that failure to obtain licenses from any amounts to illegal mining.
He indicated that as a regulator, the Commission is mandated to conduct site inspections and report to the District Assemblies for the Regional Security Council to deploy security to arrest the illegal miners.
“The solution to illegal mining is by investing millions of dollars into Geological Surveys Authority, the government explorers.”
He told the committee that anybody who mines in any river body, or forest reserves is engaged in criminal activity emphasizing that, the Commission will not issue a license to anybody to pollute and degrade the forest.
However, the Chairman of the Assurance Committee and MP for North Tongu Constituency, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa raised issues from an alleged report where a small-scale mining firm called Akonta Mines Limited has breached the mining law by destroying the Samraboi concession.
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Focus on more pressing issues like Galamsey, not hate speech – Ellen Ama Daaku to Mahama
An aide to former Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia,Ellen Ama Daaku has advised President John Dramani Mahama to shift his attention from social media hate speech to more urgent national issues such as illegal mining.
Speaking in an interview, she noted that the President’s recent comments about tracking the IP addresses of people who spread hate speech were unnecessary.
According to her, President Mahama must first define what he considers to be hate speech before seeking to punish people for it.
Ms. Daaku argued that the President himself had benefitted from hate speech and social media attacks in the past when he was in opposition.
She said even during his time in government, he described his opponents and their tribesmen in unpalatable terms, which later drew complaints from former President Nana Akufo-Addo to the Catholic Bishops’ Conference.
She stressed that harsh criticism of leaders on social media should not automatically be considered hate speech, adding that former leaders, including former President Nana Akufo-Addo had all been subjected to it.
“He is only feeling what Nana Akufo-Addo went through for eight years,” she remarked.
While acknowledging the need to regulate misconduct online, Ms. Daaku insisted that going after social media activists should not be a priority.
She noted that many political activists, including herself, had been insulted and attacked online but never called for arrests.
She concluded that President Mahama should focus his energy on solving pressing problems such as galamsey and the economy instead of concentrating on critics on social media.
By: Jacob Aggrey
News
Government to spend GH¢13.9 billion on infrastructure in 2025 – Deputy Finance Minister
Government will commit GH¢13.9 billion in 2025 to priority infrastructure projects under its “Big Push” initiative, with the amount projected to rise to GH¢21.2 billion by 2028, Deputy Finance Minister Thomas Ampem Nyarko has announced.
According to him, the funds will be drawn mainly from petroleum revenues under the Annual Budget Funding Amount (ABFA) and mineral royalties.
He indicated that the projects will focus on roads, transport, energy, power generation, digital infrastructure, and urban and rural development.
Mr. Ampem described the “Big Push” as an economic reset powered by a US$10 billion programme, stressing that the country’s infrastructure needs remain urgent.
He explained that Ghana requires US$37 billion every year for the next 30 years to meet development goals across sectors. Maintaining existing infrastructure alone, he added, will cost an extra US$8 billion annually.
The Deputy Minister drew attention to Ghana’s score of 47 out of 100 on the Global Infrastructure Hub index, which is below the average for lower-middle-income countries.
He argued that this was a sign of chronic underinvestment in critical sectors.
“Our cities need better transport. Our industries require dependable energy. Our farmers need modern irrigation. And our youth demand digital highways for the future,” he emphasized.
Mr. Ampem highlighted the limits of government spending, pointing out that the public purse cannot meet the demands alone. He stressed that Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) are therefore indispensable.
He revealed that the Ghana Infrastructure Investment Fund (GIIF) will set up Special Purpose Vehicles (SPVs) to attract private capital, blended finance, and international development funding.
The Deputy Minister urged both local and international investors to explore opportunities in transport, energy, digital infrastructure, and urban development, describing them as “vast and transformative.”
He assured that the framework is in place, the vision is clear, and the government’s commitment under President Mahama’s leadership remains firm.
Mr. Ampem called for strong collaboration between government and the private sector, noting that sustainable infrastructure transformation will require a united effort.
The announcement was made at the KPMG Infrastructure Roadshow in Accra, held under the theme “Unlocking Ghana’s Public-Private Partnership Potential: Bridging Reform and Results”.
The event brought together policymakers, investors, engineers, and business leaders to explore strategies for accelerating infrastructure development.
By: Jacob Aggrey
