Government deepens responsible mining drive with MDF-GGSA partnership

The Government has signed a Geological Investigation Services Agreement between the Minerals Development Fund (MDF) and the Ghana Geological Survey Authority (GGSA) in Accra. The agreement marks "a strategic pivot from enforcement alone to a more inclusive and structured mining framework."

The GGSA will conduct detailed geological investigations in designated "blocked-out" areas allocated to the MDF by the Minerals Commission. The assessments will determine mineral potential as well as environmental risk profiles. Dr. Hanna Louisa Bisiw-Kotei, Administrator of the MDF, described the initiative as "a transformative milestone in the governance of Ghana's mineral resources at the community level." She stated, "We are giving communities the tools, data and legal backing to mine responsibly, protect their environment and benefit sustainably from their natural resources." Dr. Prosper Akaba, the Director-General of the GGSA, noted that "With proper investigation, we can ensure that mining activities are conducted in areas that minimise environmental risks and maximise economic benefits."

The agreement forms part of Ghana's broader policy direction towards cooperative mining licences for artisanal and small-scale mining communities.