Ghana’s Lands Minister Confronts the Reality of Galamsey Crackdown: A

The Lands Minister Confronts Reality of Galamsey Crackdown

The government's intensified campaign against illegal mining, or galamsey, has resulted in the arrest of 258 suspects and the seizure or immobilization of thousands of pieces of mining equipment. However, the prosecution of those arrested remains a major concern.

Seizing Equipment, but Prosecution Lags Behind

The Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, said the effectiveness of the anti-galamsey campaign could not be measured by arrests and seizures alone. He stressed the need to ensure that cases reach their logical conclusion in court. "The challenge we are having is not the arrest. It is the prosecution," Mr Buah said at a policy engagement with the IMANI Centre for Policy and Education in Accra.

According to the minister, 258 suspects had been arrested in operations targeting illegal mining in forest reserves as of July 2026. However, the Ministry did not provide a corresponding breakdown of how many of the suspects had been charged, prosecuted, or convicted, or how many cases remained pending. The issue puts the spotlight on the justice component of the government's anti-galamsey drive, particularly whether enforcement operations can produce lasting results if arrests do not translate into successful prosecutions and convictions.

Forest Reserves in Shambles

Mr Buah also disclosed that approximately 8,900 hectares of forest reserves had been completely degraded through illegal mining and other destructive activities. Nine forest reserves were identified as among the worst affected. Some of the affected areas had become difficult for Forestry Commission officials to access because of the activities of illegal miners, including the reported presence of weapons and incidents of violence.

The restoration of the degraded areas would require substantial resources. The government has not yet announced a plan for restoration, but the damage to the environment has been significant. The extent of the damage was previously underestimated, with previous assessments based on older data.

New Controls on Excavator Importation

As part of efforts to prevent excavators from being diverted into illegal mining operations, the government has introduced tighter controls on the importation and deployment of the machines. Mr Buah said more than 4,000 excavators were being held at the country's ports pending compliance with a new documentation and clearance regime. Under the arrangement, importers are required to provide information on the importer, intended end user, and location where each excavator will be deployed before clearance.

Approved excavators are expected to be fitted with tracking devices and monitored through geofencing to ensure that they operate only within their declared locations. The government's stated objective is to make excavators operating in Ghana traceable.

Disrupting the Galamsey Supply Chain

The government is also seeking to disrupt the supply chain that supports illegal mining. Mr Buah said 1,724 of the machines seized or immobilized were changfans, many of which were fabricated locally before being transported to mining areas and water bodies. The development has raised concerns about the role of local manufacturers, suppliers, and financiers in sustaining illegal mining operations.

The government has also deployed about 2,000 Blue Water Guards to provide community-based intelligence and support first-response efforts around affected water bodies. However, Mr Buah acknowledged concerns over discipline within the initiative, including allegations that some guards had accepted bribes.

Mining Licensing Reforms on the Horizon

The government is also pursuing changes to the mining licensing regime as part of its broader response to challenges within the sector. Mr Buah said the proposed reforms would reduce the maximum initial duration of large-scale mining leases from 30 years to 20 years. The Ministry also plans to introduce stricter requirements for holders of exploration and prospecting licenses to demonstrate meaningful activity within specified periods.

Mining companies would also be required to enter into community development agreements to define their responsibilities towards communities hosting mining operations. The establishment of district mining committees to give communities a greater role in mining-related decisions is also planned.

A Critical Test of the Government's Campaign

The figures presented by the Lands Ministry highlight the scale of the government's enforcement operations. However, the prosecution of suspects remains a critical measure of their effectiveness. With 258 arrests, hundreds of machines seized or immobilized, and thousands of hectares of forest reserves affected, the ability of the state to successfully prosecute offenders could determine whether the current enforcement campaign produces a sustained deterrent against illegal mining.

Source: JOY