We don’t issue licenses for mining in water bodies – Minerals Commission

The Minerals Commission has stated that it does not grant licenses for companies to mine in water bodies.

According to the Chief Executive Officer of the commission, Martin Kwaku Ayisi, any individual or group carrying out mining activities in any of Ghana’s rivers is doing so without a licence.

This comes amidst several calls for a ban on all small-scale mining and illegal mining activities due to the devastating effects on the country’s water bodies.

Mr Ayisi argued that pollution of water bodies is mostly caused by individuals using various devices and chemicals to extract minerals directly from rivers without a license.

“These are people who do not have licenses. The minister or the Minerals Commission will not recommend the grant of a license to somebody to enter the water bodies, mount a platform and do that kind of activity. That is illegal.

“The other one has to do with persons who are perhaps within the banks or upstream – because they don’t have modern equipment, they also dig the ore and wash into the water bodies,” he said

Mr Ayisi further explained that there are licensed small-scale miners who have been operating lawfully over the years.

During a discussion on Joy News on September 14, he said while small-scale mining operations have increased due to license registrations, it is those without licenses who engage in illegal mining in rivers and forest reserves.

“The complaint from small-scale miners is that they don’t have licenses, and they want licenses to work lawfully. There are thousands of Ghanaians out there who want licenses to work and live in peace. The numbers in our repository are not synonymous with illegal mining,” he clarified.

Illegal mining, popularly referred to as galamsey, has been a major issue in Ghana, with recent reports by the media indicating that the practice has led to the destruction of several rivers, including River Ankobra, River Bia, River Pra, and River Tano.

Recently, Ghana Water Limited (GWL) announced severe water supply challenges in Cape Coast, Elmina, and surrounding communities due to galamsey activities in the Pra River.

In a statement, GWL explained that water sources have been polluted beyond reasoning limits, affecting processing and distribution for domestic and industrial use.