Samuel Abu Jinapor proposes independent body to fight Ghana's illegal mining

Samuel Abu Jinapor, a former Minister of Lands and Natural Resources and current Member of Parliament for Damongo, has proposed the creation of an independent body to combat illegal small-scale mining, known as galamsey, in Ghana. Speaking in Accra, Jinapor argued that successive governments have failed to make sufficient progress because enforcement efforts have been subject to political influence and a lack of decisive action.

The proposed institution would be established through an Act of Parliament or a similar legal framework. While the government would retain the authority to grant mining leases and licenses, the new body would be legally mandated to enforce mining laws and regulations independently.

These remarks were made during the launch of the Ghana component of the ‘Justice in Critical Minerals Governance and Energy Transition’ project. Funded by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) and led by Dr. Clement Sefa-Nyarko of King’s College London, the project is a collaborative effort involving Ghana, Australia, and Chile to ensure fair and inclusive critical mineral extraction.