The Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, has announced a sweeping nationwide clampdown on illegal mining, disclosing that over 1,300 arrests have been made and 425 excavators and other equipment seized since the latest anti-galamsey operations began.
Delivering an update on the state of the sector on Wednesday, July 23, the Minister said the intensified enforcement is yielding results, with ongoing prosecutions progressing steadily.
“We have seized 425 excavators and other machinery. We have also made 1,345 arrests nationwide since we started, and prosecutions are steadily progressing. I believe that the Attorney General will speak to these prosecutions and give us an update when he takes his turn,” he announced.
He further highlighted the role of the Forestry Commission in the crackdown, noting that it accounted for a significant portion of the seizures and arrests. Under its operations, 177 excavators, 4 bulldozers, 12 vehicles, 43 motorbikes, 155 pumping machines, 185 chamfan machines, 15 gold detectors, and 10 heavy-duty generators were confiscated.
In total, 286 individuals were arrested by the Forestry Commission’s enforcement unit.
“These numbers make up the total I mentioned earlier, underscoring the multi-agency collaboration in tackling the illegal mining menace,” he clarified.
The update reflects the government’s intensified commitment to reclaim forest reserves and protect water bodies from degradation caused by unregulated mining, locally known as galamsey.
Stakeholders and the public now await a detailed briefing from the Attorney General on the status of ongoing prosecutions, as part of the broader push for accountability.
