Environmental advocacy group, A Rocha Ghana, is calling on the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources to expedite the prosecution of more than 1,300 individuals arrested in the government’s intensified crackdown on illegal mining, commonly known as galamsey.
Deputy Director of A Rocha Ghana, Daryl Bossu, welcomed the latest update from the Lands Minister on efforts to combat illegal mining but stressed that progress must now be matched by swift legal action.
“It was good to hear the Honourable Minister for Lands give an update on what is happening in terms of the fight against galamsey,” Bossu said. “Given what they inherited and the extent of the problem, I would say some very good steps have been taken. But it is still early days, and there is more work to be done.”
He acknowledged recent gains made in the field, including the seizure of equipment and the repossession of forest reserves. However, Bossu emphasized that the effectiveness of the campaign will ultimately be measured by whether those arrested are prosecuted.
“Right now, what is needed is to wrap up actions and ensure that there are prosecutions for the people arrested,” he said, noting that decisive legal consequences are essential to serve as a deterrent.
His comments follow a press briefing on Wednesday, July 23, by the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, who disclosed that over 1,300 individuals had been arrested and 425 excavators and other equipment confiscated as part of a nationwide anti-galamsey offensive.
Describing the effort as a coordinated national campaign, the Minister said prosecutions were already underway and “progressing steadily.”
He also credited the Forestry Commission for its key role in the operations, detailing the seizure of 177 excavators, 4 bulldozers, 12 vehicles, 43 motorbikes, 155 pumping machines, 185 chamfan machines, 15 gold detectors, and 10 heavy-duty generators.
A Rocha Ghana maintains that while the physical clampdown is important, long-term success hinges on the justice system’s ability to hold illegal miners accountable through timely prosecutions.
