Ghana retains more than 60 percent of mining revenues through taxes, royalties, and state participation, yet mining communities continue to see limited direct benefits, according to the Ghana Chamber of Mines.

Chief Executive Ken Ashigbey explained that the country’s current fiscal regime—  which includes a 35 percent corporate tax, royalties of up to 12 percent, and a 10 percent carried state interest — ensures significant government earnings.

“Government takes over 60 percent of the value that comes from mining,” Mr Ashigbey said. However, he questioned how much of this revenue is actually directed back to the host communities where extraction occurs, calling for structural reforms to address the imbalance.

“The key issue is not just how much Ghana earns, but how much returns to the communities.”

To resolve this, Mr Ashigbey renewed calls for a Mineral Revenue Management Act to ring-fence a portion of mining income for local development, proposing that up to 30 percent of royalties be sent directly to affected areas.

He also highlighted a major disparity between the contributions of large-scale and small-scale mining sectors. While large-scale miners produced nearly three million ounces of gold and paid about 19 billion cedis in taxes, the small-scale sector — which accounts for roughly 52 percent of total output — contributed only 0.5 million cedis.

“That imbalance shows the urgent need to formalise the small-scale sector so it contributes meaningfully to national revenue,” he noted.

Beyond taxation, Mr Ashigbey argued that Ghana should focus on building value across the mining supply chain, including the local production of inputs and services, and increasing Ghanaian participation through joint ventures and stock market listings.

“Mining should not be judged by the ounces we produce, but by the value we create in the economy,” he said, adding that the sector must serve as a catalyst for industrialisation and long-term development.

He called for a “complete rethink” of how mining revenues are managed, warning that without reform, the country risks extracting resources without building sustainable economic gains.