Former Chief Executive Officer of the Minerals Commission, Dr Toni Aubynn, has described ongoing discussions surrounding the review of Ghana’s mining policies as both timely and essential.
Speaking during a panel discussion on the opening day of the Mining & Minerals Convention 2025, held in Accra on Tuesday, September 9, 2025, he emphasized that while existing regulations have served the sector well over the past decade, it is now imperative to revise them to reflect current global trends.
Dr Aubynn, who currently serves as CEO of Petroleum Hub Development Corporation, noted that updating Ghana’s mining laws and policies presents a unique opportunity to address longstanding challenges within the industry.
Among the key issues he highlighted were taxation, benefit distribution, and local content participation.
On the subject of local participation, he called for a policy revision that directly links Ghanaian involvement in the sector to broader industrialization goals.
Dr Aubynn observed that while current protocols empower local suppliers, they fall short of ensuring that Ghanaian manufacturers benefit meaningfully from the country’s mineral wealth.
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“We must reevaluate local content in the mining industry. Currently, local content is largely about supply. When a Ghanaian supplies goods to a mine, it qualifies as local content, which is acceptable but does little to advance our industrialisation efforts,” he said.
“It also does not significantly contribute to import substitution. The goal should be to integrate Ghanaian manufacturing into the value chain, rather than merely having Ghanaians import and supply goods,” the PHDC CEO said.
Dr Aubynn also addressed the challenges facing small-scale mining, calling for clearer definitions and reclassification of mining firms under the proposed new act.
He stressed that refining the legal framework would help maximize the sector’s benefits for the country.
He expressed satisfaction with the proactive measures taken by the government under President John Dramani Mahama to address sectoral challenges and promote development.
Among the initiatives he praised was the introduction of technology to improve transparency and efficiency in the mining industry.
SA
