The government has stepped up the fight against illegal mining (galamsey), seizing 425 excavators and arresting 1,345 individuals nationwide since the beginning of the year, the Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, has said.  

Speaking at the Government Accountability Series at the Presidency on Wednesday, the Minister disclosed that the intensified crackdown, led by the National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS), has also resulted in the confiscation of heavy machinery, including bulldozers, changfangs and water pumping machines, particularly in forest reserves.  

Review of Act

Mr Buah said that the Minerals and Mining Act (2006) and the Minerals and Mining Policy (2014), were undergoing a comprehensive review, with 85 per cent of the process completed.

Key proposed amendments include reducing the duration of mining leases, abolishing automatic license renewals and enforcing Community Development Agreements (CDAs) to ensure mining benefited the affected communities.  

“We are correcting the imbalances of the past to secure a brighter future for all Ghanaians,” the minister said.

Mr Buah reiterated the government’s resolve to combat illegal mining while supporting responsible small-scale mining through the newly approved Responsible Cooperative Mining and Skills Development Programme (rCOMSDEP).  

“Mining must be done responsibly, and we will not relent in protecting our environment for future generations,” he said.

As part of efforts to restore polluted water bodies, he said the ministry had trained and deployed some 450 personnel under the Blue Water Initiative, with an additional 530 set to graduate  today.

The initiative, which adopts a non-confrontational approach, focuses on intelligence gathering and community sensitisation.

A second phase will involve de-chemicalising polluted rivers, with feasibility studies currently underway.  

To enhance transparency, he said the Minerals Commission had developed the Ghana Mine Repository and Tracking Software, a digital platform for real-time monitoring of excavators and mining equipment.

He said a pilot project tracking 191 excavators was already operational, with plans to integrate data from Customs, DVLA and other agencies.  

Tree planting

The minister also highlighted progress made in the “Tree for Life” initiative, saying 7.6 million seedlings had so far been planted, representing 25 per cent  of the 30 million targeted

Additionally, the Forestry Commission has repossessed nine forest reserves previously occupied by illegal miners and intercepted 279 trucks transporting illegal lumber.  

He further said that efforts to decentralise land services was advancing, with 90 new district offices identified to bring land administration closer to citizens.

The Lands Commission is also reviewing public land allocations to enhance transparency, and has upgraded its digital systems to reduce land registration delays.  

Meanwhile, the minister said that the Ghana Boundary Commission had completed joint inspections with Côte d’Ivoire to reaffirm maritime boundaries.

They have also conducted mapping exercises to strengthen border security in the country.

Over 4,600 residents in border communities have also been sensitised to transnational crime prevention.