Government appoints Isaac Andrews Tandoh as Acting CEO of Minerals Commission

The Government of Ghana has appointed Isaac Andrews Tandoh, the current Deputy Chief Executive of the Minerals Commission, as the Acting Chief Executive of the institution. His appointment, which took effect on August 29, 2025, follows the reassignment of Martin Kwaku Ayisi to the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources. Mr. Tandoh is expected to officially assume office on September 15, 2025.

Until his nomination, Mr. Tandoh served as Deputy Chief Executive in charge of Small-Scale and Industrial Minerals. He brings to the role over 23 years of expertise in open-pit mining, project management, operational oversight, efficiency optimisation, team leadership, and strategic planning.

Before joining the Minerals Commission, Mr. Tandoh was Acting General Manager at Goldfields, where he oversaw production and development targets for both short- and long-term sustainability. He later became the substantive Mining Manager of Goldfields Ghana Ltd, Tarkwa Mine, and played a key role in third-party negotiations with major industry contractors such as Liebherr, AECI, and Mantrac. He is also credited with driving supply programs in collaboration with firms including Mantrac, Liebherr, Total Ghana, Cummins, and AECI (Explosives).

Academically, Mr. Tandoh holds a BSc in Mining Engineering from the University of Mines and Technology, Tarkwa, an MBA in Corporate Finance from Walden University, USA, and an MSc in Mining Engineering and Management from the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology. He also holds several professional certifications in mining, finance, and business administration.

Stakeholders in Ghana’s mining sector will be monitoring closely how he tackles the country’s long-standing battle against illegal mining, commonly referred to as galamsey. His tenure comes at a time when the government has announced plans to increase Ghanaian ownership in the mining sector and cut the duration of mining leases from 30 years to 15 years.

The policy shift, alongside the planned removal of development agreements extended to mining firms, has already stirred debate. The Ghana Chamber of Mines has warned that such measures could undermine investor confidence and stall new investment inflows into the sector.