Members of Parliament on the Select Committee on Environment, Science and Technology have tasked large-scale mining companies operating in the Upper East Region to strictly comply with environmental regulations to help curb degradation and protect livelihoods.
The committee gave the directive during a working visit to Cardinal Namdini Mining Limited and Earl International Group Gold Ghana Limited, as part of a nationwide oversight tour to assess compliance with environmental standards in the mining sector.
Leading the delegation, Prof. Hamza Adam, Member of Parliament for the Kumbungu Constituency, said the visit was in line with Parliament’s constitutional mandate to provide oversight over ministries, departments and agencies, particularly those under the Ministry of Environment, Science and Technology.
He explained that the committee’s decision to visit mining companies on the ground was informed by growing national concerns over environmental degradation, illegal mining activities and climate change.
“As members of Parliament, it is our responsibility to ensure that mining companies comply with environmental regulations. This decision is most important because of the current challenges we are having regarding environmental degradation in this country,” Prof. Adam noted.
He added that the situation had been worsened by the activities of illegal miners, popularly known as galamsey, and the broader effects of climate change.
“We all know what is happening within the space of the galamsey areas. This is coupled with the menace of climate change. It has therefore become very important that as a country and as stakeholders, we all join hands to ensure that our environment is protected so that everyone can stay safe,” he stressed.
According to Prof. Adam, the Upper East Region was chosen as the starting point of the nationwide tour, with visits to Cardinal Namdini and Earl International Group Gold Ghana Limited providing valuable insights into both compliance levels and existing challenges.
He said the committee engaged the management of the mining firms on the identified gaps and urged them to take immediate steps to address the shortcomings.
Prof. Adam further disclosed that the committee encountered concerns relating to illegal mining activities around the operational areas of some companies, particularly around Earl International Group Gold Ghana Limited.
“The companies raised serious concerns about how galamsey activities are affecting their operations. We, as a committee, will take up the matter and collaborate with relevant stakeholders to see how best we can tackle this difficulty,” he assured.
He emphasized that while mining remains a critical source of revenue for the country, environmental protection must not be compromised.
“As a country, even though we need resources from mining activities, we equally need to protect our environment. This committee has decided to treat this matter as one of urgency and seriousness,” Prof. Adam stated.
He said the committee would further engage relevant institutions, especially the Environmental Protection Authority, to address both regulatory lapses and operational challenges facing the mining companies.
“The companies have put before us some of the challenges they are facing, and we intend to engage the agencies that matter so that investors can continue to work smoothly while Ghana’s environment is well protected,” he added.
Reflecting on the visit, Prof. Adam described it as revealing and necessary, noting that it exposed issues that might otherwise have gone unnoticed.
“For me, the visit has been very good. It has opened us up to a lot of issues that we didn’t know. If we hadn’t come here, we wouldn’t have been able to pick up these infractions and suggest serious recommendations for them to attend to,” he said.
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