Artisanal Small-Scale Mining (ASM) has become an issue of national interest due to its evident impact on the environment and society at large. Recognizing the need to regulate the sector, and in response to an intense media and CSO campaign, the Government of Ghana has taken important steps with the establishment of the high level inter-ministerial task force to lead and coordinate government efforts to end illegal mining, and the development of the Multilateral Mining Integrated Project (MMIP) by the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources to reform the ASM sector in a systemic, comprehensive and sustainable manner.

Breakdown in most areas of traditional institutions and norms that protected the environment and held natural resources in trust for collective benefits; gaps in the legal framework; bureaucratic inefficiencies in the formalization of small-scale mining operations; lack of sustainable livelihoods initiatives and weak political incentives to challenge the status quo have been identified as some of the key drivers of the upsurge in illegal mining activities in Ghana.

It is against this background that, in December 2017, UNDP organized a policy dialogue to provide a platform to critically examine the gaps in the ASM legal regime and provide concrete policy options and recommendations for its reform. The role of traditional authorities was examined in more detail. Participants were drawn from the public sector, research and academia, civil society organizations, miners’ associations, development partners, political parties, and the media.