Grant UMaT mining licence - President Mahama orders Minerals Commission
7th February 2026
President John Dramani Mahama has directed the Minerals Commission to immediately issue an operating licence to the University of Mines and Technology (UMaT) for its model small-scale mining project.
The directive was given during UMaT’s 18th Special Congregation, where the university conferred 55 postgraduate degrees, including six Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degrees and 21 master’s degrees.
Addressing the gathering, the Vice-Chancellor of UMaT, Professor Richard Kwasi Amankwah, revealed that the university had completed all required exploration work at the proposed site and was only awaiting regulatory approval to begin mining operations.
He described the project as a potential game changer that could promote responsible and sustainable small-scale mining practices in Ghana, while serving as a practical training platform for students.
President Mahama, who attended the ceremony at which the Chief Executive Officer of Engineers and Planners, Ibrahim Mahama, was awarded a PhD, instructed the Minerals Commission to work closely with the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources to fast-track the licensing process.
“The Chief Executive of the Minerals Commission is here, and I wish that by the time we leave here he makes a commitment to issue the licence to the university. His minister is also here, and I expect the minister to direct him to issue that licence,” President Mahama stated.
UMaT, Ghana’s leading specialised mining university, has for years sought to translate its academic and training programmes into hands-on operations, with the aim of bridging the gap between theory and practice in the mining sector.