Government halts mining levies, cites institutional flaws

The government has stopped the collection of levies from illegal mining operators by Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs).

Felix Kwakye Ofosu, a Minister of State, said investigations showed these collections were not individual misconduct. He noted they were part of old institutional arrangements, despite being flawed. The levies were recorded as government revenue.

According to Mr. Kwakye Ofosu, the system existed before the current administration. Many assemblies included such levies in their revenue plans.

The Minister explained that sanctioning individual MMDCEs for implementing a flawed policy would be unfair. He said they were not collecting money for personal gain.

Instead, the government’s response is to stop the practice immediately. However, Mr. Kwakye Ofosu warned that any MMDCE who continues to collect these levies after the directive will face legal action.

This directive aligns with efforts to stop illegal mining across the country. It is seen as important for strengthening the government’s fight against this activity.