The government of Ghana is spending close to GHS29billion to reclaim forests, lands and water bodies destroyed through the activities of illegal small-scale mining (galamsey), Mr Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, Minister of Information, has said.

He told Kwabena Prah Jnr (The Don) on Ghana Yensom on Accra 100.5FM Tuesday, 18 December 2018, in relation to the lifting of the ban on legal small-scale mining that: “The government is spending over GHS29 billion for the reclamation plan.”

The government has officially lifted the ban on small-scale mining in the country.

The lifting of the ban allows individuals with mining licences and valid Tax Identification Numbers (TIN) whose concessions have been validated and given cards with QR codes to show that they have been vetted, to go back to work.

Mining equipment, especially excavators and bulldozers not licenced by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA) and also not tagged with electronic monitoring devices by approved agents, will not be permitted for mining.

As part of processes to ensure reforms in the sector, small-scale miners have undergone training at the University of Mines and Technology (UMaT)

All mining companies are expected to have at least one person trained in sustainable mining at UMaT, Tarkwa.

This was made known by the Chairman of the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Illegal Mining, Minister of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovations, Professor Kwabena Frimpong-Boateng on Friday, 14 December 2018.

The process of validation is still ongoing and Ghanaians who wish to participate in small-scale mining can submit their documents to the relevant authorities and abide by the new regulations outlined to ensure sustainable forms of mining to prevent environmental degradation.