Government makes over 500 arrests in galamsey crackdown

The government has intensified its fight against illegal mining, commonly known as galamsey, resulting in over 500 arrests over the past five months.

This crackdown is part of renewed efforts to combat illegal mining, while also launching a significant land restoration initiative aimed at rehabilitating 10,000 hectares of degraded land.

According to a report by citinewsroom.com on June 8, this intensified effort is designed to protect the environment and promote responsible resource management.

Officials indicate that the crackdown aims to reverse the environmental damage caused by years of unregulated mining activities.

Despite these efforts, concerns persist regarding the low prosecution rate, which raises questions about the effectiveness of the country’s anti-galamsey campaign.

The Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources has noted that one of the major challenges in past enforcement efforts has been the inability to secure convictions.

Out of 845 arrests made from 2022 to 2024, only 35 (or 4%) resulted in prosecutions, highlighting a critical issue that needs to be addressed.

The problem of illegal mining continues to disrupt livelihoods, threaten farmland, and pollute water sources in affected communities.

The Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, explained that political interference in the licensing process has historically undermined the integrity of mining regulations.

"For those who were getting the licenses, they were getting them because they were politically connected, so we were not following due diligence in doing it. Oftentimes, people will take licenses from Accra and go to a mining community, wave it, and this is the first time I have seen the investor. All of that had to change,” he said.

In addition to the arrests, the government has seized several excavators, water pumps, and other equipment used in illegal mining operations.

Amid these challenges, President John Dramani Mahama has reaffirmed the government's commitment to tackling illegal mining and restoring damaged lands.

He announced that the Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, in collaboration with the GoldBod, will soon launch an ambitious project with the private sector to reclaim 10,000 hectares of previously mined lands.

“The Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, in collaboration with the GoldBod, is also soon to launch the incorporation with the private sector, an ambitious project to reclaim 10,000 hectares of mined-out lands, so let us move from competition to collaboration,” the president urged.

The minister added that the government will remain steadfast in its efforts to combat galamsey, which poses a significant threat to the country's water bodies, forests, and overall environmental sustainability.

NAD/AE

After the heavy rains over the weekend, a lot of debris has been left across many parts of Accra. Watch some of the destructions below: