Mining licensing changes lead Ghana’s legal watch

Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, has announced that District Mining Committee’s will begin to issue mining licenses at the local levels under the new Mining and Minerals Act.

Speaking at the launch of Ellembelle Cooperative Mining Societies at Nkroful, Mr Armah-Kofi Buah, who is also the Member of Parliament (MP) for Ellembelle, explained that acquisition of mining licenses would start from the district where the mining company wants to operate.

That, he said would end the practice of going through rigorous processes by travelling to Accra in pursuit of mining licenses.

The Ellembelle District Mining Cooperative Societies are Nkroful-Atomic, Kikam, Salma, Asanda, Bomoakpole and Nzema-Akropong.

The Minister charged the mining cooperatives to be guided by the training to engage in responsible mining without destroying the environment, land and water bodies and cautioned them to operate within their concessions and not trespass to undertake illegal mining activities.

Mr Armah-Kofi Buah said responsible cooperative mining was to replace illegal mining popularly called galamsey which has ravaged lands and river bodies in the last decade.

He said under the new mining act, mining companies would sign an agreement with host communities dubbed “Community Development Agreement” which would ensure a legal agreement with the communities within the mining lease.

Mr Joseph Anyimiah, Deputy CEO of the Minerals Commission, said the Commission would ensure that the cooperatives mined within the regulations of the Mining and Minerals Act.

He reminded the cooperatives to set aside a percentage of proceeds accruing from their operations for reclamation and development of the communities.

Mr Joseph Armah Agyekum, District Chief Executive (DCE) for Ellembelle, called for unity to protect the land, river bodies and forest reserves amid responsible mining.

Nana Kwasi Kutua V, Chief of Nkroful, who chaired the function, commended the Mr Armah-Kofi Buah, Buah for the commitment to restore degraded lands, water bodies and forest reserves.

Add MyJoyOnline as a preferred source on Google See more of our stories when you search on Google. (opens in a new tab) DISCLAIMER: The Views, Comments, Opinions, Contributions and Statements made by Readers and Contributors on this platform do not necessarily represent the views or policy of Multimedia Group Limited. Tags: Lands Minister Mining DISCLAIMER: The Views, Comments, Opinions, Contributions and Statements made by Readers and Contributors on this platform do not necessarily represent the views or policy of Multimedia Group Limited. Related to this story Asantehene and Lands Minister launch Jimi Land Reclamation Project Nzema chiefs honour Lands Minister, demand sustainable revival of Adamus Resources Government inherited GH¢111bn debt burden but continues infrastructure projects – Lands Minister Epiroc urges businesses to deepen support for education in mining communities Lands Minister cuts sod for Phase Three of Appiatse Redevelopment Project Mahama asks Newmont to deepen support for Ahafo mining communities Ghana’s mineral resources must benefit host communities – Lands Minister Ghana will not back down on mining value addition – Ambassador Kojo Bonsu Ghana pushes China for deeper mining partnerships, value addition Lands Minister urges Zijin Mining to make Ghana its springboard for African expansion --> Most Popular News Latest Stories Interest rates development continues to reflect more expansionary monetary policy environment – BoG 7 minutes A remarkable journey of Steve Kyerematen: Insurance, reinsurance, diplomacy and leadership 18 minutes La Community vows to challenge La Pleasure Beach Redevelopment in court 23 minutes GSE’s Abena Amoah and Japan Motors’ Salem Kalmouni win CIMG Marketing Woman and Man for 2025 25 minutes Ridge Hospital opens medical oxygen plant to external buyers 30 minutes Yusif Sulemana donates GH¢10,000 to Bole Nursing College TEIN, urges students to prioritise academics 38 minutes Ablakwa congratulates four career diplomats on new Ambassadorial appointments 45 minutes Africa’s 30% critical minerals vital for AI, energy boom – IMF 54 minutes Build coalitions with African countries – Mahama to Ghana’s Permanent Representative in Geneva 1 hour District Mining Committees to issue mining licences under new law – Lands Minister 1 hour Work with Angola to sustain international attention on reparatory justice – Mahama charges new Envoy 1 hour Morocco unveils new government with focus on jobs, equality and public services 1 hour Embrace entrepreneurial techniques, technologies – KAAF VC urges students 1 hour Mahama tasks Ambassador to Qatar to build on goodwill between Ghana and Qatar 1 hour Gov’t secures €323m to end water crisis in Tamale, Yendi, Damongo 2 hours About Us The Multimedia Group

The La Community has declared its intention to challenge any plans to redevelop the La Pleasure Beach Resort without its approval, maintaining that the disputed property belongs to the people of La.

The position comes after the demolition of structures at La Beach in Accra, affecting facilities including La Pleasure Beach and the Polo Beach Club, situated close to the Labadi Beach Hotel.

The demolition was carried out under the supervision of personnel from the Ghana Armed Forces’ 48 Engineer Regiment, with assistance from the Ghana Police Service.

During the operation, traders and operators of businesses in the area were instructed to leave the premises. The exercise has heightened tensions over ownership of the land and raised concerns about the future of businesses operating along the beachfront.

Addressing a press conference, the community’s lawyer, Nsiah Akuetteh, disclosed that legal action had already been initiated over what he described as an unauthorised occupation of the land.

He accused the resort’s management of proceeding with the demolition without first consulting the community and warned that investors who attempt to develop the property without resolving the dispute could also be taken to court. According to him, the use of money or security personnel cannot substitute for legitimate ownership of land.

Mr Akuetteh emphasised that the community remained open to development proposals but insisted that any plans must begin with dialogue and an agreement with the people claiming ownership of the property.

He urged the resort’s management to engage the community and address the concerns of traders and other affected persons to prevent further conflict.

He added that the community would carefully assess any investment proposals and would not allow development to proceed in a manner that undermines its land ownership claims or the livelihoods of residents.

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The Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) says its use of artificial intelligence to detect customs undervaluation generated an additional GH¢1 billion in revenue in April 2026 alone.

The authority highlighted the figure at the seventh Belt and Road Initiative Tax Administration Cooperation Forum (BRITACOF) in Jakarta, Indonesia, where it presented Ghana’s experience with digital tax reforms.

Hosted by Indonesia’s Directorate General of Taxes from October 13 to 15, the forum brought together tax administrators and policymakers to discuss digital transformation and international cooperation.

Leading Ghana’s delegation, Technical Adviser to the GRA Commissioner-General, Elsie Appau-Klu, said technology must do more than automate existing processes. It must also improve governance and strengthen trust between tax authorities and taxpayers.

She was speaking during a digital transformation panel on the theme, “From Tax Informatisation to Smart Taxation: The Ghanaian Experience and Shared Paths for Belt and Road Jurisdictions.”

Ms Appau-Klu identified three major developments in Ghana’s transition: the introduction of the Integrated Customs Management System (ICUMS) in 2020, the adoption of the Ghana Card Personal Identification Number as the Tax Identification Number in 2021, and the launch of the Modified Taxation Scheme (MTS) in 2025.

She said the Ghana Card integration had increased the number of identity-linked taxpayers from about three million to more than 18 million, providing a common identification platform for tax administration.

ICUMS, she explained, had brought customs operations across ports and borders onto a unified system.

The MTS, meanwhile, was designed to bring eligible informal-sector operators into the tax net through simpler registration, filing and payment processes.

According to Ms Appau-Klu, eligible operators can register with their Ghana Cards, file returns through a mobile application or the *880# short code, and make payments through mobile money.

She described Ghana’s approach as combining an accessible interface with more sophisticated technology in the background, supported by continuous taxpayer education.

The authority also highlighted electronic VAT invoicing, the Integrated Tax Administration System and Publican AI as tools for improving compliance, monitoring transactions and identifying revenue leakages.

Ms Appau-Klu attributed the additional GH¢1 billion collected in April to Publican AI’s detection of customs undervaluation.

She said total GRA revenue reached GH¢182 billion in 2025, compared with GH¢153 billion in 2024, with the authority targeting GH¢310 billion by 2028.

However, she stressed that investment in technology must be matched by investment in staff.

The GRA, she said, was retraining auditors to work as data analysts and risk managers, with AI supporting fraud detection, audit case selection and customs valuation. Final decisions remained the responsibility of human officers.

She identified data security, privacy, legal authority, human oversight and taxpayers’ rights to object and appeal as essential safeguards for digital tax administration.

Ms Appau-Klu also called for common standards on identity verification, electronic invoicing, secure data exchange and AI governance under the Tax Administration Product Portfolio 2.0.

She proposed a dedicated digital capacity-building programme and a shared repository documenting both successful and unsuccessful reforms, offering Ghana’s informal-sector taxation model as a contribution.

She also identified opportunities for Ghana to learn from Brazil’s experience with informal businesses, Indonesia’s electronic tax systems and China’s Golden Tax System.

Other members of Ghana’s delegation were Moses Koloni Yidana, Head of the GRA’s Transfer Pricing Unit, and Abdul Rauf Nasiru, Head of the Telecommunications and Services Large Taxpayer Office in the Audit Division.

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Menu Search for Switch skin Home News Politics Business Sports Crime Africa More World Education Editorial Features Lifestyle Technology Gallery Contact Us Facebook X TikTok RSS Switch skin Search for Hot! News Legal Aid Commission engages inmates of Sekondi Central Prison October 16, 2026 1 minute read The Sekondi Central Prison has hosted a team from the Legal Aid Commission as part of activities marking the 2026 Legal Aid Week.

The engagement was aimed at educating inmates on their legal rights, court procedures, and access to justice.

It forms part of the Commission's ongoing efforts to assist inmates with their legal challenges, particularly those who require legal representation and guidance in pursuing their cases.

Inmates were taken through practical information on key legal issues including arrest and detention, plea bargaining, bail and its conditions, criminal cases, appeals, and the rights and privileges of accused persons in court to ensure a fair trial.

The team, led by the Western Regional Director of the Commission, Lawyer Ebo Donkoh, highlighted the importance of understanding legal processes and encouraged inmates to seek appropriate legal assistance where necessary, especially in matters concerning their detention, ongoing trials, and appeals.

The Officer-in-Charge of Sekondi Central Prison, DDP Abraham N. Allotey, expressed appreciation to the Commission for its continued engagement and called for more frequent visits to ensure inmates receive the necessary legal guidance and support.

As part of the visit, the team undertook an exercise dubbed "Intake of Complaints from Inmates," which allowed inmates to present concerns relating to their individual cases for consideration and possible legal assistance.

The exercise focused on identifying cases requiring legal intervention, including prolonged remand without trial, the need for legal representation, and assistance with appeals.

The Legal Aid Commission regularly visits Sekondi Central Prison to assist inmates with legal issues.