Minister-designate for Lands and Natural Resources, Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, has pledged sweeping reforms and bold measures to address key challenges in Ghana’s natural resources sector.
During his vetting before Parliament’s Appointments Committee on Monday, January 27, Mr. Buah articulated a comprehensive vision aimed at improving transparency, promoting sustainable practices, and eliminating inefficiencies.
Over the course of three hours, Mr. Buah discussed his plans to tackle issues such as illegal mining, forest reserve protection, the sale of public lands, and reforms in the mining licensing regime.
Reforming public land sales
Mr. Buah vowed to end the undervaluation and sale of public lands at discounted prices, a practice he described as detrimental to national development. He emphasized that public lands should not be sold below their market value to ensure fairness and protect the public interest.
“As we speak, the guidelines for the sale of public lands value them at 25%, with the remaining paid as ground rent. That will not happen anymore. If there is a need to sell, it should be done at the current market value so that Ghanaians are not shortchanged,” he stated.
The nominee highlighted inefficiencies and loopholes in Ghana’s mining licensing system, which he pledged to address. Mr. Buah expressed concerns over the tendency of individuals to exploit the system, holding multiple licenses and effectively engaging in large-scale mining activities without proper classification.
“We need to re-categorize mining operations and streamline the process to eliminate inefficiencies. For example, one individual holding nearly 50 licenses should be classified as large-scale, but loopholes have allowed such practices to persist. This must change,” he asserted.
No new mining in forest reserves
Mr. Buah firmly committed to prohibiting any new mining activities in forest reserves, reflecting the government’s dedication to environmental conservation.
“We have said that there will be no new mining activities in forest reserves. The intention is to amend L.I. 2462 to ensure the provision allowing for mining in reserves is removed,” he emphasized.
Transparency in state land allocation
Addressing the controversial issue of state lands being acquired by high-profile officeholders, Mr. Buah criticized the practice as fundamentally wrong and contrary to principles of fairness.
It is fundamentally wrong for high-profile individuals to acquire state lands, especially under their own supervision. Lands acquired by the state should be repurposed transparently and only for the public good,” he said, citing past examples of transparent land repurposing under former President Atta Mills.
Fighting illegal mining (Galamsey)
Mr. Buah vowed to combat illegal mining, commonly known as galamsey, regardless of the political affiliations of those involved. He acknowledged past failures in addressing the issue but reaffirmed his commitment to ensuring that mining licenses are obtained through legal processes.
“We in opposition were strong on the issue of illegal mining. As Minister, I pledge to fight this menace. It doesn’t matter your status or political affiliation. If you want to engage in mining, follow the legal processes, and we will ensure strict enforcement,” he declared.
Mr. Buah’s vetting demonstrated a clear focus on sustainable natural resource management and transparency. His proposals were not limited to above points only.
If confirmed, Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah’s leadership is expected to mark a new era for the Lands and Natural Resources Ministry.
The Parliamentary Appointments Committee is expected to deliberate on his nomination in the coming days.
