In early August 2025, Ghana introduced the Responsible Cooperative Mining and Skills Development Program (rCOMSDEP), a landmark initiative to transform its artisanal and small-scale mining sector. The policy consolidates two earlier schemes—Community Mining Scheme and the National Alternative Employment and Livelihood Program, into one broader reform package. It focuses on training cooperatives, providing mercury-free processing technology, safety training, and shared services, all aimed at formalizing previously informal operations and reducing environmental destruction.
rCOMSDEP also emphasizes the rehabilitation of degraded mining sites and the development of agricultural or agro-industrial alternatives for affected communities. Through a “technical services desk,” the government will support legal cooperatives with access to modern equipment, geological assessments, and regulatory navigation. Though the program’s funding and scale have yet to be publicly disclosed, it signals a shift from punitive enforcement of informal mining toward inclusive, sustainable pathways to formality.
By embedding cooperative models, environmental safeguards, and diversified livelihoods, rCOMSDEP embodies a governance approach rooted in partnership, not exclusion. If carried out effectively, it could foster both environmental restoration and social buy-in. This program reframes legitimacy in mining—not through suppression, but through empowering artisanal miners to adopt safer, formal, and economically sustainable roles.
Issue Profile – Ghana rCOMSDEP Artisanal Mining Reform
Lead Actor: Government of Ghana, Ministry of Lands & Natural Resources
Focus: Formalization of artisanal and small-scale mining through cooperatives, mercury-free technology, and environmental rehabilitation
Update (Aug 2025): Launch of the Responsible Cooperative Mining and Skills Development Program (rCOMSDEP), consolidating earlier initiatives into a national reform package
Strategic Significance: Advances social license by shifting from punitive crackdowns to inclusive pathways, offering miners legitimacy, cleaner practices, and alternative livelihoods
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