The CEO of the Minerals Commission Martin Ayisi has revealed he has not received any order from President Akufo-Addo or any minister to stop giving mining licenses.
Speaking on TV3 Key Point on 5 October 2024 Hon. Ablakwa revealed a very shocking development while the President was in a meeting with Organised Labour, that he revealed 11 new licenses were issued to companies.
Appearing before the Assurance Committee to answer questions to the Committee of Parliament on Monday, October 7, he said, “I have not received any instructions from the government or minister to say can you hold on, so respectively as I sit here, and as we speak my officers are online processing applications for small-scale that have been received over the period, maybe today, last week, last year. Sometimes when applications come in, we have to check to see whether or not it meets all the criteria”.
According to the CEO of the Minerals Commission, the continuance issuance of licenses will reduce illegal mining(galamsey).
Martin Ayisi detailed saying, “When my minister took office, he said Martin the delay in issuing licenses is what is creating the problem, so cut the delays”.
“So, we went online, so what hither to will take a year now even a week or two they are upload we do the inspections, when you don’t give them the license what they will do is to go do it illegally”, the CEO stated boldly.
The CEO also explained that small-scale mining is open to only Ghanaians hence any foreigner engaging in small-scale mining amounts to illegality.
Watch the video below:
“I have not received any instructions from government or minister to hold on. My officers are online processing applications for small scale mining”.
Martin Ayisi, Minerals Commission CEO made this revelation at Assurance Committee sitting in Parliament#GhanaTonight #3NewsGH pic.twitter.com/7Vw1VIXuym
— #3NewsGH (@3NewsGH) October 8, 2024
