Ghana’s Minerals Commission says the use of drone technology and artificial intelligence is significantly improving regulatory oversight in the mining sector, helping authorities detect illegal operations early and enforce compliance more effectively.

Speaking at a conference on drone innovation and regulatory technology, a Deputy Chief Executive Officer of the Minerals Commission, Emmanuel Kwamena Anyimah said drones have become a practical tool for real time monitoring of mining activities, especially in remote and environmentally sensitive areas.

According to the Commission, traditional inspection methods alone are no longer enough to deal with the scale and complexity of illegal mining and its environmental impact across the country.

Real Time Monitoring and Early Detection

Emmanuel Kwamena Anyimah explained that drone surveillance enables regulators to monitor mining sites live, assess environmental damage, verify approved mine plans, and identify unlicensed operations faster than before. The technology also improves inspector safety and reduces operational costs while producing reliable, high quality data for enforcement actions.

Officials noted that when drone data is combined with artificial intelligence, regulators can analyse large volumes of aerial and geospatial data, automatically flag signs of non compliance, and predict environmental risks before they escalate.

This, they said, shifts regulation from a reactive approach to a more proactive and preventive system.

Operations Already Underway in Ashanti and Western Regions

He disclosed that drone surveillance is already being used in parts of the Ashanti and Western Regions to monitor illegal mining in environmentally sensitive zones.

Aerial data gathered through these operations has helped authorities identify illegal sites, track land degradation, and coordinate enforcement activities with state agencies including the Environmental Protection Agency and other regulatory bodies.

Emmanuel Kwamena Anyimah says the approach has improved accuracy, reduced response time, and strengthened evidence-based decision making.

Call for Strong Legal and Policy Framework

The Deputy CEO stressed that technology alone is not enough and must be backed by clear and forward looking policies. Governments, it said, play a central role in establishing legal frameworks for drone use, aligning aviation, mining, and data protection regulations, and building institutional capacity to manage digital data.

Strong policies, the speaker noted, give confidence to investors, reassurance to communities, and operational clarity to regulators.

Focus on Responsible Mining

The Commission maintained that the broader goal of deploying drones and AI is to promote responsible mining by protecting the environment, improving transparency, ensuring compliance, and building public trust in mineral governance.

Officials described Africa as being at a pivotal moment where smart regulatory technologies can help shape more sustainable mining practices and shared prosperity.

They added that with sound policy support and effective oversight, drone innovation offers governments a practical pathway toward sustainable mining management.

Story by Doe Benjamin Kofi Lawson