Minerals and Mining Policy 2016

Ghana has a well-established and thriving mining sector which contributes significantly to the national economy. The 12-part policy document establishes a framework (section 2.1) with objectives aimed at addressing Ghana’s mining challenges. In particular, the policy aims to diversify the mineral production base (section 2.0).

The policy establishes that mineral resources belong to the Ghanaian people in common (section 4) and stresses that mining is based on the principle that Ghana’s mineral endowment is managed on a sustainable economic, social and environmental basis (section 3). As part of the government’s transparency drive, a transformative Open Data Charter is envisaged, to make budget data and government information easily accessible.

The Policy acknowledges that the National Environmental Policy of Ghana, in accordance with the Forestry Commission Act 1999, lays out the current environmental and social standards under which economic activities should be conducted and the methods by which the government seeks to enforce them.

The environmental regulations of mining under the National Environmental Policy of Ghana and the Environmental Protection Agency Act, 1994, are detailed in Section 6.