Hon. Okyere Darko-Mensah Calls for Decentralisation of Mining Licensing to Fight Galamsey

Hon. Kwabena Okyere Darko-Mensah, Member of Parliament for Takoradi, has called for the decentralisation of mining license issuance as a key measure to regulate small-scale mining and protect the environment.

Speaking in Parliament during debate on the Report of the Public Accounts Committee on the Follow-up Report of the Auditor-General, the MP addressed three key audits: _Regulating Small-Scale Mining for a Sustainable Environment_, _Sustainability of Sports Stadia in Ghana_, and _Administration of Scholarships by GETFund_.

On small-scale mining, Mr. Darko-Mensah said the current centralised system at the Minerals Commission is causing major delays and encouraging illegal mining.

"Decentralisation of the Minerals Commission is necessary. We need to make it possible for people to access licensing processes in the regions. The delays at the Commission are contributing to galamsey," he stated.

The Takoradi MP also raised concerns about the sustainability of sports stadia in Ghana. He said most of the facilities are going to waste due to poor maintenance and lack of commercialization. He urged the National Sports Authority to adopt models that will make the stadia revenue-generating.

On scholarships, Hon. Darko-Mensah criticised the duplication of roles between GETFund and the Scholarship Secretariat. He called for GETFund to focus on funding feeding grants and scholarships, while leaving administration to the Scholarship Secretariat to avoid overlap.

The Public Accounts Committee’s report was laid before Parliament for consideration.