Local Government Minister Demands 30-Day Comprehensive Mining Report from All Affected Districts

Combatting the persistent threat of illegal small-scale mining (galamsey), the Minister for Local Government, Chieftaincy, and Religious Affairs, Mahama Ayariga, has issued an ultimatum to district authorities across the country. Every district assembly where mining activities currently take place has been instructed to submit a detailed, comprehensive report to the Minister’s office within 30 days. The mandatory directive targets all active mining zones, requiring local officials to map out the exact scale and spatial footprint of extraction within their jurisdictions. 

​The mandated reports must clearly map all affected sites and document the surrounding host communities directly impacted by mining operations. District Chief Executives (DCEs) and local planning officers are expected to audit both legal concessions and illegal mining hotspots. By collecting ground-level data on degraded land area, water pollution levels, and community encroachment, the Ministry aims to build a centralized, evidence-based inventory to guide targeted interventions and resource allocation.

​This policy shift reinforces the government’s commitment to decentralized accountability in environmental governance. By holding Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assemblies (MMDA leaders) directly responsible for reporting conditions on the ground, the Ministry eliminates administrative blind spots that have historically allowed illicit operations to thrive unchecked. Minister Ayariga stressed that effective monitoring at the grassroots level is essential to safeguarding rural livelihoods, restoring destroyed ecosystems, and enforcing compliance. 

​The 30-day reporting directive serves as the foundational phase of a broader inter-ministerial strategy to overhaul small-scale mining supervision, drive land reclamation, and protect vital water sources. District assemblies that fail to meet the submission deadline or provide incomplete data face administrative sanctions. As the countdown begins, all eyes are on local authorities to deliver transparent, actionable audit reports that will shape Ghana’s next phase in the fight against galamsey.

@Volta Today