The Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, has disclosed that a total of 1,400 illegal miners (galamseyers) have been arrested across the country within the last eight months as part of intensified efforts to combat illegal mining.
According to him, President John Mahama led administration is more committed to fighting illegal mining compared to the previous government led by Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.
Speaking on GTV on Wednesday, September 24, 2025, the Minister stressed that the government remains committed to protecting the country’s natural resources, particularly its lands and water bodies, from the destructive impact of galamsey.
“We have seized 440 excavators and more than 800 changfans. We have mobilised Blue Water Guards in key regions, and they are making a difference,” Kofi-Buah stated.
Crackdown on illegal mining
Kofi-Buah indicated that the arrests were made through joint operations involving the Ghana Police Service, the Military, and task forces deployed in galamsey-prone regions.
He noted that several excavators, changfans, and other equipment used for illegal mining have been confiscated and, in some cases, destroyed.
The crackdown, he said, forms part of a broader strategy to regulate the small-scale mining sector, promote legal operations, and restore degraded lands.
Environmental concerns
Illegal mining continues to threaten Ghana’s rivers, farmlands, and forest reserves, with the pollution of water bodies posing a serious challenge for communities and the Ghana Water Company Limited.
Buah underscored that while enforcement is critical, government is also investing in sustainable alternatives.
“We are also now providing critical alternatives, and we are saying that if you want to do mining, we are going to give you the training and build your capacity to work with large-scale mining companies,” he added.
Call for collective action
The Lands Minister called on traditional leaders, local assemblies, civil society, and the public to support government’s efforts in the fight against galamsey.
Buah assured that the Ministry will continue to publish updates on arrests and prosecutions to ensure transparency and accountability in the fight against galamsey.
