As part of ongoing efforts to combat illegal mining and promote responsible mining practices, the National Coordinator of the Responsible Cooperative Mining and Skills Development Programme Secretariat (rCOMSDEP), Engineer Frank Pedro Asare, has led a high-powered delegation to the Ashanti Region to engage key stakeholders in the mining sector.
The engagement, held at the Ashanti Regional Coordinating Council, brought together Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs) as well as party leaders from mining constituencies and was chaired by the Ashanti Regional Minister, Hon. Dr. Frank Amoakohene..
Addressing the gathering, Eng. Asare reaffirmed the commitment of President John Mahama and Hon. Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah to the national campaign against illegal mining, popularly known as galamsey.
He emphasized the need for collective action to promote responsible mining practices that protect the environment and ensure sustainable development.
He further educated participants on the environmental and social dangers associated with illegal mining and highlighted the economic and ecological benefits of adopting responsible, regulated, and community-led mining models.
According to him, the rCOMSDEP Secretariat will continue to engage stakeholders nationwide to advance responsible mining practices as part of preparations toward the full implementation of the government’s cooperative mining projects.
The discussions focused on the key pillars of the new cooperative mining initiative, which prioritizes health, safety, and environmental protection.
The key issues were promoting responsible and sustainable small-scale mining, ensuring environmental protection through proper land reclamation and pollution control measures, encouraging community ownership and management of mining operations to ensure local participation and benefit and formalizing small-scale mining activities by supporting miners to obtain legal permits and operate within regulatory frameworks.
Dr. Amoakohene, the Ashanti Regional Minister, directed all MMDCEs to take proactive measures and assume direct responsibility for combating illegal mining within their respective jurisdictions.
He underscored the vital role of the assemblies in enforcing mining laws and ensuring compliance at the local level.
The Responsible Cooperative Mining and Skills Development Programme, a flagship government initiative aimed at promoting sustainable mining practices, was officially launched in August 2025 at Obuasi in the Ashanti Region.
