The Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, , has launched a flagship nationwide programme to reform artisanal and small-scale mining in Ghana.
Known as the Responsible Cooperative Mining and Skills Development Programme (rCOMSDEP), the initiative was formally launched on Wednesday, August 6, 2025, at Black Park, near the Obuasi Len Clay Sports Stadium in the Ashanti Region.
Addressing a gathering of government officials, miners, and industry leaders, the minister noted that the new programme replaces the Community Mining Scheme and the National Alternative Employment and Livelihood Programme (NAELP), which he said were poorly managed by the previous administration.
According to him, the dual initiatives failed to achieve their objectives, necessitating the implementation of rCOMSDEP as a solution to the shortcomings of the previous programmes. "One of the first directives I issued as sector minister was to disband the erstwhile Community Mining Scheme (CMS).
