Stakeholders Validate Framework for Categorizing Ghana’s Artisanal and Small-Scale Mining Sector

The planetGOLD Ghana Project has successfully convened a stakeholder validation workshop to review and refine a proposed framework for categorizing Ghana’s artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM) sector. The workshop brought together representatives from government institutions, large-scale mining companies, the Ghana National Association of Small-Scale Miners (GNASSM), ASM operators, and civil society organizations to discuss approaches for strengthening governance and promoting sustainable mining practices.

Opening the workshop, Project Coordinator Mr. Lovelace Sarpong outlined the objectives of the planetGOLD Ghana Project, which seeks to reduce and ultimately eliminate mercury use in the artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM) sector through the adoption of mercury-free technologies. He noted that the project supports Ghana’s commitments under the Minamata Convention on Mercury and is implemented through interventions focused on formalization, improved access to finance, and the adoption of appropriate mercury-free mining technologies.

Mr. Sarpong also highlighted ongoing efforts to develop a framework for categorizing Ghana’s small-scale mining sector. According to him, the framework will help improve understanding of the sector’s diverse operational characteristics and enable more targeted support and regulatory interventions.

Presenting findings from the draft study, National Consultant Dr. Sam Adu-Kumi identified key challenges facing the ASM sector, including informality, weak institutional coordination, environmental concerns, social conflicts, livelihood issues, and gender inequalities. He explained that the proposed categorization framework is designed to strengthen governance, improve regulatory oversight, and support tailored interventions through a proportionate and incentive-based approach.

International Consultant Ms. Kirsten Dales underscored the importance of recognizing the diversity within the ASM sector, noting that artisanal, semi-industrial, and highly mechanized operations require different regulatory and policy responses. Drawing on international experiences, she advocated for a graduated categorization system that would support formalization, improve enforcement, and enhance risk management across the sector.

Participants engaged in group discussions and plenary sessions, providing valuable feedback on the proposed framework. Discussions emphasized the need for classification criteria that extend beyond concession size to include factors such as mechanization, capital investment, production capacity, and operational structure. Stakeholders also highlighted the importance of aligning the framework with local development priorities, strengthening institutional coordination, improving access to finance, and promoting mercury-free technologies.

The workshop concluded with broad stakeholder support for the proposed categorization framework. Participants agreed that a transparent and multi-dimensional classification system would improve formalization, regulatory oversight, resource allocation, and targeted support for miners, while contributing to more responsible and sustainable mining practices in Ghana.

In her closing remarks, Mrs. Jewel Kudjawu, Director of the Intersectoral Network at the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA), thanked participants for their active contributions and reaffirmed the importance of continued collaboration among stakeholders to advance the sustainable development and formalization of Ghana’s artisanal and small-scale mining sector.