A recent JoyNews Hotline investigative documentary, titled 'A Tax for Galamsey' and aired on Monday, February 9, 2026, has ignited widespread concern and prompted immediate governmental action by exposing a sophisticated high-level extortion racket that facilitates illegal mining, popularly known as 'galamsey', within Ghana. The exposé primarily focused on the Amansie Central District in the Ashanti Region, revealing how a 'pay-to-destroy' syndicate allegedly operates with impunity, undermining national efforts to combat the menace.

The documentary detailed shocking revelations, including undercover footage and whistleblower testimonies, which outlined how illegal mining operators were purportedly compelled to pay protection fees to evade raids by security task forces. Specifically, the report alleged that miners were charged GH₵6,000 annually to operate prohibited 'changfang' machines—mechanized floating platforms used for washing gold in water bodies—with the tacit approval of local authorities. The investigation presented evidence of a structured payment system, where a revenue officer known as 'Red' was captured collecting these payments, issuing stickers, and essentially granting a 'license to pollute' critical water sources.

In the wake of these damning allegations, the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources quickly responded. Paa Kwesi Schandorf, the Ministry’s Media Relations Officer, confirmed that the Sector Minister, Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, had taken formal notice and directed an immediate investigation into the conduct of local officials implicated in the report. Simultaneously, President John Dramani Mahama intervened, directing the Minister for Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, Ahmed Ibrahim, to conduct urgent investigations into the Amansie Central District Assembly's alleged collection of fees from illegal miners using banned equipment. Felix Kwakye Ofosu, the Minister of State in charge of Government Communications, assured the public that all individuals found culpable would face the full rigors of the law.

However, the Presiding Member of the Amansie Central District Assembly, Isaac Osei Duah, offered a defense, stating that security operatives were fully aware of and involved in the fee collection from illegal miners. Speaking on Adom FM’s Dwaso Nsem, Mr. Osei Duah asserted that these fees were not for personal gain but intended as a deterrent and a source of revenue for the district's coffers, especially after repeated enforcement attempts proved futile. He maintained that the practice of collecting revenue from earth-moving equipment operators was longstanding, dating back to a 2008 bylaw, and described the exposé as a misrepresentation of an old administrative arrangement to suit a 'convenient political narrative'. He also insisted that the Assembly's priority remained the protection of lives and public health, not financial gain.

Beyond the immediate controversy, the revelations have sparked broader critiques of Ghana’s fight against 'galamsey'. Daryl Bosu, Deputy National Director of A Rocha Ghana, expressed alarm over the "growing normalisation of illegal mining practices," warning that it constitutes an "existential problem" for the nation, as rivers and farmlands continue to be destroyed. He criticized the apparent profit-driven approach of some state institutions, citing concerns about operations like GoldBod actively buying gold linked to illegal mining, thereby entrenching the menace. John Awuah, CEO of the Ghana Association of Banks, launched a scathing critique of the Ghanaian CSO community, accusing them of making "empty noise full of political patronage" on 'galamsey' while focusing on less critical issues. He also condemned the government's long list of task forces and committees—such as Operation Vanguard, IMCIM, NAIMOS, and Operation Halt Galamsey—as "political creations" designed to show attention without achieving real positive outcomes, lamenting the colossal waste of taxpayer money.

Amidst these systemic challenges, enforcement efforts continue to face significant resistance. The National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS) conducted a night operation on the same day the documentary aired, February 9, 2026, in Anbanzie, Nzema East District. During the intelligence-led exercise, NAIMOS task force personnel encountered violent resistance from about fifteen armed men guarding an illegal mining site. Four suspects were arrested, and the illegal mining installation was subsequently destroyed. Colonel Dominic Buah, Director of Operations of NAIMOS, issued a stern warning to illegal mining operators and armed guards, reiterating that task force members would defend themselves against any encountered resistance, underscoring the perilous nature of combating 'galamsey' on the ground.

The collective fallout from the 'A Tax for Galamsey' documentary, coupled with ongoing challenges and critical societal commentary, underscores the urgent need for robust accountability and genuine political will to address the deeply entrenched issue of illegal mining in Ghana. Calls for the dismissal and prosecution of implicated officials are intensifying, as stakeholders demand an end to institutional sabotage and a renewed, effective approach to safeguarding the nation's natural resources.