Claim: Previous Mills-Mahama governments issued only four small-scale mining licences
Source: Ama Pratt (Press Secretary to the Vice President)
Verdict: True
Researched by Gifty Danso
The Press Secretary of the Vice President, Ama Pratt, claims that the previous National Democratic Congress (NDC) administrations issued only four mining licences to small-scale miners over an eight year period (2009 – 2017).
Speaking on TV3’s New Day programme on May 9, 2025, she said: “We’re dealing with a government that, in its past tenure, gave only four, only four licences to small-scale miners. Not in this administration, in NDC’s previous administration… as compared to an administration that gave out almost 2000.
“So in terms of political will, this administration has proven itself and demonstrated that we are committed to this fight. Not even this time, from our previous time.”
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Did the previous NDC government issue only four mining licences to small-scale miners? This fact-check will verify the claim.
Fact-Check
In verifying the claim, GhanaFact relied on data from the Minerals Commission‘s mining repository.
The data on the repository shows that four small-scale mining licences were granted between 2009 and 2017 (the last time the NDC was in power). Presently, two of those licences are active and two others are under review.
The galamsey menace
The issue of small-scale mining (galamsey) has become topical in recent years with the increasing calls for the government to take action to end the menace.
The issuance of mining licenses was also topical in the lead up to the 2024 elections, with the then opposition accusing the government of issuing lots of licenses at a time forests and water bodies were being ravaged by the activities of galamsey miners across mining areas in the country.
Verdict
Therefore, the claim that the Mills – Mahama governments between 2009 and 2017 issued only four small-scale mining licences is True.
