Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah tasks five mining cooperatives with land restoration

The Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, has officially inaugurated five new small-scale mining cooperatives in the Western Region with a mandate to balance gold extraction with environmental preservation. Speaking at a ceremony in Nkroful, the Minister emphasized that while the government supports the economic opportunities provided by the mining sector, these must not come at the expense of the environment. He issued a clear directive to the newly formed groups: they must extract gold responsibly and ensure that all degraded lands are systematically reclaimed.

During the inauguration, Minister Buah presented the cooperatives with their official permits, marking a significant step in the government's push for a more regulated and legal small-scale mining industry. He noted that effective regulation is the key to changing the public's perception of the sector, which has often been associated with environmental destruction. By operating within the established legal framework, the Minister stated that these cooperatives can demonstrate that mining can be both profitable and sustainable.

Supporting the Minister's call, Mr. Akwasi Adjei Bawuah, the Regional Director of the Department of Cooperatives, highlighted the importance of transparency and safety in the operations of these new societies. He urged the members to maintain high standards of internal governance and to ensure a fair distribution of profits. Mr. Bawuah further stressed that the cooperatives' responsibilities include proactive environmental stewardship, such as tree planting and the restoration of topsoil after mining activities are completed.

This initiative is part of a broader strategy by the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources to formalize the small-scale mining sector and protect local ecosystems. By organizing miners into formal cooperatives, the government aims to create an accountable system that provides stable livelihoods while mitigating the impact of gold extraction. The success of the five groups in Nkroful is expected to serve as a benchmark for future cooperative mining projects across the country.