The Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Samuel Abu Jinapor, has debunked reports claiming that more than 1,400 mining licences have been issued by the Ministry from 2022 to date.
This clarification comes after allegations surfaced, suggesting that between 1988 and November 2022, only 150 licenses were issued, but more than 1,400 licenses have reportedly been approved since 2022.
Speaking on the Citi Breakfast Show with Bernard Avle on Tuesday, October 8, 2024, the Minister firmly rejected these claims.
“Straight away, that is false,” he said. “If you compare the data, the number of licenses issued between 1988 and 2022 is far more than those issued in the period you’re referring to [2022 to present].”
Jinapor explained the complexity of the mining licensing process, highlighting that the bureaucratic procedures involved make it a time-consuming and difficult task.
He revealed that even approving a single small-scale mining application requires six separate signatures, contributing to the slow pace of the licensing process. This complexity, he suggested, makes it highly unlikely that such a high number of licenses could be issued within the stated timeframe.
The Minister also addressed concerns from industry experts who argue that delays in approving mining licenses have contributed to the rise of illegal small-scale mining activities.
These experts believe that expediting the formalization of the small-scale mining sector is crucial in reducing illegal mining, which is causing significant environmental damage in Ghana.
“Since I have been a minister, the criticisms I have suffered in the industry is that I don’t approve licenses. That has been my biggest headache. Apart from everything else, approving the licenses based on the regime we have now is just simply cumbersome.
“So, to approve one small-scale mining application, the minister has to sign six signatures. So, if I have to approve 10 then it means I have to sign 60 signatures and getting that work done in itself is cumbersome.
He also highlighted that expeditious approval of mining licenses is one of the tools for combating illegal small-scale mining.
