Thursday, 30 July 2026

Ghana’s news, on the hour · Est. 2026

Thursday, 30 July 2026

Accra—:—London—:—New York—:—Beijing—:—

Ghanaian press · Organization

Minerals Commission

Also known as: MinCom

2026-04-252026-07-30

In coverage

Verbatim sentences from the source article.

April 2026
Government revokes Adamus Resources mining leases for violations
1. 27 AprJoy Online
  … ocation affecting its concessions at Akango, Salman and Nkroful, and was responding “in the interest of accuracy and public clarity.” Adamus maintained that it remains a fully licensed operator within Ghana’s regulatory framework, with valid approvals from the Minerals Commission …
  Adamus rejects lease revocation, cites breach of due process
2. 26 AprJoy Online
  … According to a press statement issued on Sunday, April 26, the decision follows a series of investigations conducted by the Minerals Commission, which uncovered multiple instances of illegal and unauthorised mining activities carried out by the company. …
  Government revokes Adamus Resources Limited’s mining leases for illegal activities
26 AprJoy Online
… In a letter dated April 23, 2026, and addressed to the Chief Executive Officer of the Minerals Commission, the union described its position as one of “irrevocable opposition,” saying it would resist any attempt to enforce the policy. …
Mineworkers Union rejects reported contract mining directive for Newmont, AngloGold, Zijin
25 AprJoy Online
… rankly, I am failing to see their impact when it comes to fighting galamsey,” he said. “I see critical resources being deployed to a group that could have been channelled to institutions like the Police, the central institutions at the Forestry Commission, the Minerals Commission …
Blue Water Guards not delivering expected results in galamsey fight — Daryl Bosu
25 AprJoy Online
… The problem is when they report to the police, no action is taken.” Mr Bosu suggested that resources would be better used by strengthening existing institutions. “Those resources could have been channelled to the police, the Forestry Commission, and the Minerals Commission to do …
Galamsey fight ‘uncoordinated and failing’ – Daryl Bosu

Mining & Energy

Nkaseim residents warn contractor off community mining concession

The News

Chiefs and residents of Nkaseim in Asutifi South District have warned a road contractor to stay away from their community cooperative mining concession, alleging that some influential individuals and local leaders are attempting to dispose of portions to private interests. The community has appealed to the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources to investigate and ensure the concession remains under community control.

18 hours ago · The Chronicle →

Today

Nkaseim residents warn contractor off community mining concession
Chiefs and residents of Nkaseim in Asutifi South District have warned a road contractor to stay away from their community cooperative mining concession, alleging that some influential individuals and local leaders are attempting to dispose of portions to private interests. The community has appealed to the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources to investigate and ensure the concession remains under community control.
18 hours ago · The Chronicle →

Yesterday

Policy think tank requests disclosure on Damang Mine tender process
Africa Policy Lens has filed a Right to Information request with the Minerals Commission seeking full disclosure on the tender process and award of the Damang Gold Mine to Engineers & Planners, including details of the application, evaluation reports, bidding timelines, tender committee composition, and production data.
29 July 2026 · Joy Online →
Residents protest environmental damage from Bekwai quarry operations
Hundreds of residents from communities in Bekwai Municipality have staged a peaceful demonstration against Day Shine Quarry Company, alleging environmental degradation, property destruction through blasting, and health risks from dust. The Assembly Member for Adankragya warned the company to suspend operations and engage affected communities within one week or face further protests.
29 July 2026 · The Chronicle →
Illegal miners encroach on Obuasi Airstrip's reclaimed lands
Illegal miners have returned to 100 hectares of land around Obuasi Airstrip that AngloGold Ashanti released to the community in 2018 for agricultural projects. The Obuasi West MCE called for the area to be designated for regulated community mining to integrate miners into a legal framework, while the Ashanti Regional Reclamation Committee recovered three repaired excavators being used for illegal mining near the airport.
29 July 2026 · The Chronicle →

Tuesday 28 July

Salma community denies endorsement of Adamus Resources mining
The chief and people of Salma in Ellembelle District have distanced themselves from claims of community endorsement of Adamus Resources Limited, reaffirming their opposition to the company's operations and citing environmental degradation, broken promises, and disrespect for community engagement.
28 July 2026 · The Chronicle →
Ghana must combine enforcement with legal mining alternatives
An opinion article argues that arrest and enforcement alone cannot solve Ghana's galamsey crisis, and that the country needs a framework combining strong enforcement with structured economic inclusion and legal alternatives to illegal mining.
28 July 2026 · Joy Online →

Monday 27 July

Apinto chiefs oppose GoldFields lease renewal in Tarkwa
The Apinto Divisional Council, traditional custodians of land where GoldFields Ghana operates in Tarkwa, has formally called on the government not to renew the company's mining lease, expiring in April 2027, arguing decades of mining have yielded little meaningful development for host communities. The council is instead advocating for a government-owned mining operation under a "shared prosperity" model.
27 July 2026 · The Chronicle →
Apinto Council urges government not to renew Gold Fields lease
The Apinto Divisional Council of Tarkwa has called on the government not to renew Gold Fields Ghana Limited's mining lease when it expires in April 2027, urging instead that the concession be transferred to a Ghanaian-owned company. The traditional leaders argue that such a move would maximise Ghana's mineral benefits and address inadequate development in host communities despite decades of large-scale mining activities.
27 July 2026 · The Ghanaian Times →

Friday 24 July

Apinto chiefs seek equity stake in Tarkwa gold mine
The Apinto Divisional Council is calling on government to make host communities equity partners in Gold Fields Ghana Limited's Tarkwa Mine during its ongoing lease renewal process. The chiefs argue that communities hosting mining operations for decades should have a direct stake in wealth generated from mineral resources extracted from their lands, and have developed an "Apinto Shared Prosperity Proposal" as a framework for ensuring traditional authorities and local communities participate in ownership, governance and benefits of mining operations.
24 July 2026 · Joy Online →

Wednesday 22 July

NDC deputy says country partly succeeded against galamsey
Deputy General Secretary of the National Democratic Congress Mustapha Gbande credited the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources and the National Strategic Coordinator with efforts that have reduced destruction to water bodies and forest reserves from illegal mining. He argued that some forms of small-scale mining, particularly alluvial mining, should be properly regulated rather than completely stopped in communities where mining remains the main livelihood source.
22 July 2026 · Joy Online →
High Court delivers Akonta Mining judgment on galamsey
A High Court judgment in The Republic v. Bernard Antwi Boasiako (Chairman Wontumi), Kwame Antwi, and Akonta Mining Company Limited addresses regulatory and criminal frameworks governing mineral exploitation, with implications for corporate governance, statutory compliance, and the fight against galamsey.
22 July 2026 · Joy Online →

Tuesday 21 July

Wontumi conviction ends political protection for illegal miners
Former Tamale Central MP Inusah Fuseini says the 20-year prison sentence handed to NPP Ashanti Regional Chairman Bernard Antwi Boasiako over illegal mining offences signals an end to political protection for those engaged in galamsey and demonstrates that individuals can no longer rely on political connections to avoid accountability.
21 July 2026 · Joy Online →
Lands Minister says no formal report of illegal mining permits issued
The Lands and Natural Resources Minister told Parliament that his ministry has not received formal reports of MMDAs charging fees for or authorizing excavators and other mining equipment for illegal mining activities, despite a JoyNews investigation alleging such permits were being issued in mining districts.
21 July 2026 · Joy Online →
Civil society group hails Wontumi conviction, calls for mining law enforcement
Lands and Mines Watch Ghana welcomed the Accra High Court's conviction of NPP Ashanti Regional Chairman Bernard Antwi-Boasiako (Chairman Wontumi) and Akonta Mining Company Limited for unlawful mining activities, and urged stronger action against illegal mining. The group said the judgment reinforces that Ghana's mining laws apply equally to all persons and companies regardless of political status.
21 July 2026 · Joy Online →
Lands and Mines Watch hails Wontumi conviction for illegal mining
Civil society group Lands and Mines Watch Ghana welcomed the conviction and sentencing of NPP Ashanti Regional Chairman Bernard Antwi-Boasiako and Akonta Mining Company Limited by the Accra High Court, calling it a landmark moment that reinforces the equal application of Ghana's mining laws regardless of political status.
21 July 2026 · Joy Online →

Monday 20 July

Media Coalition lauds Wontumi conviction, pushes wider galamsey probe
The Convener of the Media Coalition Against Illegal Mining has commended investigative journalist Erastus Asare Donkor's reporting on illegal mining and called on the government to expand investigations into all individuals and networks implicated in galamsey, rather than treating the conviction of NPP Ashanti Regional Chairman Bernard Antwi Boasiako (Chairman Wontumi) as an isolated case.
20 July 2026 · Joy Online →
Media Coalition convenor says Wontumi deserved harsher sentence
Dr Kenneth Ashigbey, convener of the Media Coalition Against Illegal Mining, said he would have preferred the Accra High Court to impose the maximum 25-year custodial sentence on NPP Regional Chairman Bernard Antwi-Boasiako (Chairman Wontumi), who received 20 years' imprisonment for illegal mining. Ashigbey argued that those who finance and facilitate illegal mining deserve the harshest punishment available under law.
20 July 2026 · Joy Online →
Wontumi conviction signals wider crackdown on galamsey activists
Dr Kenneth Ashigbey, Convener of the Media Coalition Against Illegal Mining, has called the conviction and 20-year sentencing of NPP Ashanti Regional Chairman Bernard Antwi-Boasiako (Chairman Wontumi) over illegal mining on the Samreboi concession a landmark moment, urging it to trigger a broader crackdown on politically exposed persons involved in galamsey.
20 July 2026 · Joy Online →
NPP chairman Wontumi convicted on six illegal mining charges
The Accra High Court has convicted NPP Ashanti Regional Chairman Bernard Antwi-Boasiako on all six charges of illegal mining on the Samreboi concession in the Western Region, including unlawful assignment of mineral rights and facilitating unlicensed mining operations contrary to the Minerals and Mining Act, 2006.
20 July 2026 · Joy Online →
State Attorney orders illegal miners out of Global Ore concession
The Office of the Attorney General has directed galamsey operators to immediately vacate the Aboso-Bompieso concession of Global Ore Ghana Industries Limited or face prosecution. State Attorney Kingsley Nana Agyekum said the company's 17-year large-scale mining lease is valid and lawfully acquired, and only Parliament can revoke it before expiry.
20 July 2026 · Joy Online →

Thursday 16 July

Government seizes 112 guns, arrests 465 in anti-galamsey crackdown
Security agencies arrested 465 suspects and seized 112 pump-action guns, excavators and other mining equipment during a six-month nationwide crackdown on illegal mining between January and June 2026, as authorities work to protect Ghana's forests, rivers and mineral resources.
16 July 2026 · The Chronicle →
Government deploys 452 additional Blue Water Guards against galamsey
The Lands and Natural Resources Minister announced the recruitment, training and deployment of 452 additional Blue Water Guards to strengthen water body protection against illegal mining, bringing total personnel across eight regions to 2,069. The government has also registered 4,347 mining equipment units at Tema Port and installed 1,864 tracking devices as part of efforts to strengthen oversight of small-scale mining.
16 July 2026 · Joy Online →

Tuesday 14 July

EPA and Minerals Commission implement 25 of 29 audit recommendations
Vice Chairman of Parliament's Public Accounts Committee Davis Ansah Opoku has commended the Environmental Protection Agency and Minerals Commission for progress in implementing audit recommendations on regulating small-scale mining, with the two institutions fully implementing 25 of 29 recommendations and partially implementing two others.
14 July 2026 · Joy Online →
Deputy Lands Minister calls for mandatory reclamation bonds in mining
The Deputy Minister for Lands and Natural Resources has advocated for mandatory reclamation bonds for mining licence holders and additional engineers in mining districts to strengthen environmental protection and regulation. He reported that 29 of the Auditor-General's recommendations have been fully implemented and 25 others addressed, while the government is deploying more EPA officers and establishing community mining committees.
14 July 2026 · Joy Online →
PAC Vice Chairman demands comprehensive mining leases register
The Vice Chairman of Parliament's Public Accounts Committee has called on the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources to provide Parliament with a comprehensive register of all mining leases granted to both local and foreign companies to enhance transparency and accountability in the extractive sector.
14 July 2026 · Joy Online →
Ghana's gold sector plagued by corruption and regulatory failure
Ghana, Africa's largest gold producer and the world's sixth-largest, accounts for nearly 40% of total exports but faces deep mismanagement and corruption. Successive governments have failed to establish transparent mechanisms for tracking mining companies' investments, production, taxes, and royalties, enabling systematic underreporting and loss of revenue.
14 July 2026 · Joy Online →
Minerals Commission raids suspected illegal sand mine at Ada
The Minerals Commission and the National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat conducted an operation at a site in Ada's Tsopoli community where suspected operators fled before the team arrived. Preliminary checks showed the site was operating without the required licence and officials found no evidence the operators had obtained authorisation to undertake sand-winning activities.
14 July 2026 · Joy Online →

Monday 13 July

Mining lease uncertainty poses greater threat than taxes
The Ghana Chamber of Mines says uncertainty over lease renewals, not high tax rates, is the greatest threat to Ghana's competitiveness as Africa's leading mining investment destination. The Chamber urged government to guarantee security of tenure for mining leases to attract long-term investment, noting that investors prioritize certainty over lease renewals more than tax levels given mining's capital-intensive nature.
13 July 2026 · Joy Online →

Friday 10 July

Black Volta gold mine dispute reaches London arbitration tribunal
Ghana's Black Volta Gold Project, one of West Africa's most promising undeveloped gold deposits, has become the centre of a cross-continental legal fight involving an international arbitration tribunal in London, the High Court of England and Wales, and the Ghanaian government, centring on a $100 million transaction and disputes over control of Ghanaian operating companies Azumah Resources Ghana Ltd, Upwest Resources Ltd, and Phoenix Resources Ltd.
10 July 2026 · Joy Online →

Thursday 9 July

Minerals Commission pledges partnership with UMaT's governance institute
The Minerals Commission CEO reaffirmed the government's commitment to strengthening mineral resource governance through evidence-based policymaking, transparency and strategic partnerships at the inauguration of the Institute for Mineral Resources Investment and Governance (IMRIG) at UMaT. He highlighted ongoing reforms including review of the Minerals and Mining Act and introduction of progressive royalties pricing regulation aimed at improving transparency and strengthening local content.
9 July 2026 · Joy Online →