Aspiring NDC National Vice Chairman urges grassroots to maximise opportunities created by sector reforms
Dr. Edem Segbefia, an aspiring National Vice Chairman of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), has commended the lands and natural resources reforms introduced by the administration of President John Dramani Mahama, describing them as a significant intervention aimed at protecting Ghana’s land, water bodies, forests and mineral resources while ensuring that ordinary Ghanaians benefit from the country’s natural wealth.
Speaking during an interactive engagement with NDC grassroots representatives in the Greater Accra Region, Dr. Segbefia said the reforms represented a deliberate attempt to change the narrative in the lands and natural resources sector by strengthening regulation, tackling illegal mining and land-related crimes, restoring degraded forests and improving Ghana’s economic returns from its mineral resources.
According to him, the sector must serve the interests of ordinary Ghanaians and communities rather than becoming a preserve for politically connected individuals, illegal operators or foreign interests.
Tackling illegal mining and protecting water bodies
Dr. Segbefia said before the NDC returned to office in January 2025, the lands and natural resources sector faced serious challenges, including illegal mining, weak regulation, environmental degradation and land administration difficulties.
He said illegal mining had contributed significantly to the destruction of forests and pollution of rivers, particularly in mining communities, while some residents had lost livelihoods and access to safe water.
He argued that the Mahama administration had subsequently placed the protection of Ghana’s land, water and natural resources at the centre of its policy agenda.
He cited the deployment of joint military and police operations to illegal mining hotspots, as well as intensified efforts to seize illegal mining equipment and protect major water bodies.
According to Dr. Segbefia, more than 200 excavators and other pieces of mining equipment have been seized, while rivers including the Pra, Ankobra, Birim and Offin are receiving attention through dredging, restoration and treatment initiatives.
He also highlighted support for licensed small-scale mining operations, including the provision of personal protective equipment, training and mercury-free processing technologies.
Restoring Ghana’s forests
Dr. Segbefia said forest restoration had also become an important component of the government’s natural-resource strategy.
He cited the planting of millions of trees under forest-restoration initiatives, particularly in degraded forest reserves in the Ashanti, Eastern and Western regions.
He said the protection of biodiversity areas had also been strengthened, with mining activities in environmentally sensitive locations being subjected to greater scrutiny.
He further noted intensified action against illegal logging and timber smuggling, including efforts to curb the illegal harvesting and movement of rosewood and other forest products.
According to him, these measures would help restore degraded forests, protect watersheds and improve the environmental sustainability of communities.
Land administration reforms
Dr. Segbefia also highlighted reforms in land administration, describing secure land ownership as essential to Ghana’s economic development and social stability.
He said efforts to digitise and streamline land registration were helping reduce the lengthy processing periods that had historically frustrated landowners, businesses and investors.
He cited pilot initiatives intended to reduce title-registration periods from years to a matter of months in selected locations, including Accra, Kumasi and Tema.
He also welcomed increased collaboration between the Lands Commission and the security agencies to combat land-guard activities.
According to him, the establishment of specialised police and land-administration interventions would help protect communities affected by land disputes and illegal occupation.
He urged chiefs, family heads and landowners to properly document their land holdings to prevent multiple sales, fraudulent transactions and prolonged litigation.
Greater economic returns from Ghana’s minerals
Dr. Segbefia further argued that Ghana must obtain greater value from its mineral resources.
He said reforms in the mining sector were aimed at ensuring that the country receives better royalties, equity participation and broader economic benefits from strategic minerals such as gold, lithium and bauxite.
He said the development of domestic processing capacity, including lithium and bauxite processing, would help Ghana move beyond the export of raw minerals and create more jobs and industrial opportunities.
He also highlighted efforts to settle outstanding compensation owed to farmers and communities affected by mining activities.
According to him, stronger local participation in the mining value chain would create opportunities for young people, entrepreneurs and businesses operating in mining communities.
How the reforms benefit the NDC grassroots
Dr. Segbefia said the lands and natural resources sector offered numerous opportunities for ordinary people at the grassroots.
He identified direct and indirect employment in licensed community-mining schemes, forestry activities, forest protection, tree planting and emerging mineral-processing industries.
He said young people in mining communities could pursue legal small-scale mining as a dignified alternative to illegal mining.
Beyond direct employment, he noted that mining and forestry operations create demand for food vendors, transport operators, mechanics, welders, drivers, spare-parts dealers, fuel suppliers and other service providers.
He said this presented an opportunity for local businesses to participate in the supply chains created by government projects and regulated mining operations.
Cleaner water and healthier communities
Dr. Segbefia said the benefits of the reforms went beyond jobs and government revenue.
He explained that cleaner rivers would improve access to safe water for households while protecting farming and fishing communities whose livelihoods depend on healthy water bodies.
He also said forest restoration could help reduce environmental degradation, protect watersheds and contribute to reducing the impact of flooding and extreme heat in vulnerable communities.
He argued that increased mineral revenues should translate into improved infrastructure and services, including roads, schools, healthcare facilities and employment opportunities in mining communities.
A call to action for NDC grassroots executives
Dr. Segbefia urged NDC constituency, ward and branch executives to become active facilitators of opportunities rather than merely political communicators.
He encouraged them to mobilise qualified young people to apply for opportunities in licensed community-mining schemes, forestry programmes, tree-planting initiatives and other employment programmes.
He also urged grassroots executives to organise community education programmes in collaboration with relevant institutions to educate residents about responsible mining, land registration, forest protection and available opportunities.
He said farmers, market women and other local entrepreneurs could position themselves to supply food and other goods to mining camps and forestry projects.
Mechanics, drivers, welders and spare-parts dealers, he added, should explore opportunities to provide services to companies and government agencies operating in the sector.
He further encouraged landowners to take advantage of improved land-registration systems and organise community registration drives to ensure that land documents were properly processed.
Fighting land guards and securing communities
Dr. Segbefia said the fight against land guards was particularly important in parts of Greater Accra, where land disputes and illegal occupation have affected communities and property owners.
He called on residents to work with the appropriate authorities and report land-related criminal activities.
He specifically referenced communities and rapidly developing areas such as Kasoa, Amasaman, Dome and Pokuase, where effective land administration and security remain critical to orderly development.
He said chiefs, family heads and landowners should be encouraged to maintain proper documentation and transparent records to prevent fraudulent sales and avoidable disputes.
“The sector must work for all Ghanaians”
Dr. Segbefia maintained that the ultimate objective of the reforms should be to make Ghana’s natural resources work for all citizens.
He argued that ordinary Ghanaians should be able to see tangible benefits when the country’s minerals are extracted, forests are protected and land is properly administered.
“When your tap water is clean, when your family land is protected from land guards, when your title comes in months instead of years, and when your son gets a legitimate job in the mining sector, that is government delivering for you,” he said.
He stressed that the NDC’s grassroots must help protect the gains by ensuring that opportunities are accessed fairly and transparently.
Protecting the gains
Dr. Segbefia also urged NDC members and community leaders to support efforts to combat illegal mining, illegal logging and land-related criminal activities.
He encouraged residents to report illegal mining, land grabbing, illegal logging and other environmental crimes to the appropriate authorities.
He said protecting Ghana’s natural resources was a shared responsibility that required cooperation between government institutions, traditional authorities, local communities, civil society organisations and the security agencies.
“Comrades, we are fighting galamsey, protecting our forests, securing our lands and making sure Ghanaians benefit from our natural resources,” he said.
Greater Accra and the grassroots agenda
Dr. Segbefia said the lands and natural resources agenda was particularly relevant to Greater Accra because land ownership, housing development, urban expansion and environmental protection directly affect households across the region.
He urged constituency executives to organise community forums where officials from the Lands Commission, Minerals Commission and Forestry Commission could educate residents on land registration, responsible mining, forest protection and employment opportunities.
He said such engagements would enable the grassroots to better understand government programmes and position themselves to benefit from them.
He maintained that the prestige of belonging to the NDC should not simply be about political power but about being part of a political movement that delivers tangible improvements to ordinary citizens.
“When your community has clean water, when your youth have legal employment opportunities, when your land is safe and when your natural resources generate greater benefits for the Ghanaian people, that is the NDC government working for you,” he said.
A message to the NDC grassroots
Dr. Segbefia concluded by urging NDC grassroots executives in Greater Accra and across the country to mobilise their communities around four key priorities,
Mobilise for land security, Encourage residents and landowners to register their properties properly and prevent multiple sales and fraudulent transactions.
Mobilise for jobs: Help qualified young people access opportunities in legal mining, forestry, tree planting and emerging mineral-processing industries.
Mobilise for business: Encourage local entrepreneurs to participate in the supply chains of mining, forestry and related projects.
Mobilise for environmental protection: Support campaigns against illegal mining, illegal logging and pollution while encouraging communities to participate in tree planting and restoration activities.
He said the message to the grassroots should remain simple and consistent:
“NDC has cleaned our rivers.
NDC is securing our lands.
NDC is protecting our forests.
NDC is making Ghanaians benefit from our natural resources.
NDC cares.”
Dr. Segbefia said the lands and natural resources sector touched almost every Ghanaian household because it affects access to land, water, agriculture, housing, employment, environmental health and national revenue.
He therefore called on the NDC grassroots to remain united, vigilant and actively involved in ensuring that the benefits of the sector reached ordinary citizens.
“Let us keep the smiles on the faces of our people. Let us protect our land, our water and our forests, and let us ensure that Ghana’s natural wealth works for the Ghanaian people. The glory belongs to the people and to the grassroots who stood firm for the NDC.”
Story: Patrick Asford Boadu
