1,400 Illegal Miners Arrested In Eight Months – Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah

In just eight months, the government of Ghana made a significant push against illegal mining, popularly known as “galamsey.” According to the Lands and Natural Resources Minister, Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, 1,400 persons have been arrested.

Hon. Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah contrasted that figure with around 800 arrests under the Akufo-Addo administration’s nearly three-year period.

In an interview observed by GhanaView on GTV, Hon. Armah-Kofi Buah described the current government’s efforts as far more decisive and expansive than past approaches.

According to the minister:

• 440 excavators and over 800 changfans (mining equipment) have been seized.
• Some of these confiscated machines are being repurposed for state use, for example by the Ministry of Food and Agriculture.
• No new mining leases have been issued in forest reserves under the current government.
• Existing mining leases in such areas were granted during the prior administration’s term.

“We have seized 440 excavators and more than 800 changfans, some of which have been repurposed for the Ministry of Agriculture,” Hon. Armah-Kofi Buah stated.

Hon. Armah-Kofi Buah again highlighted a set of institutional and legal interventions underway:

• The government plans to repeal Legislative Instrument (L.I.) 2501, which amended L.I. 2462. Parliament will take this up when it reconvenes.
• He emphasized that agencies like the Ministry of Defence, Local Government, Attorney-General’s office, and others are coordinating actions through the National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS).
• Moreover, over 400 security personnel are currently undergoing training in enforcement, licensing, and mining regulations to ensure compliance with the law.
• Furthermore, all water bodies and forest reserves have now been declared national security zones, with plans for permanent military deployment.
• Then also, he acknowledged that while the scale of environmental damage inherited is large, the administration is determined to “stop the bleeding” and push reforms aggressively.

 “The Attorney-General is ready, and as soon as Parliament reconvenes, we will take this step. This government is responding to all concerns raised,” Armah-Kofi Buah stated.

Beyond arrests and seizures, the minister has stressed that, the government is also focusing on ecological recovery:

• The Tree for Life Initiative has doubled its target to plant 60 million seedlings, supported by private sector partners.
• Hon. Armah-Kofi Buah appealed to traditional leaders, communities, and citizens to assist in protecting rivers, forests, and overall ecological balance, warning that unchecked destruction “destroys the soul of our country.”