The Coalition Against Galamsey Ghana (CAGG) has challenged the government’s assertion that the “era of impunity is over” in the fight against illegal mining, insisting that widespread lawlessness, selective enforcement and environmental destruction continue across the country.
In a press statement issued on Sunday, the coalition said although it acknowledged some progress made by the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources, the gains were insufficient to conclude that illegal mining had been brought under control. It argued that Ghana’s forests, rivers and mining communities require sustained and impartial law enforcement rather than periodic progress reports.
CAGG commended the government for revoking Executive Instrument (E.I.) 144, as amended by E.I. 234, which had allowed portions of the Achimota Forest to be used for purposes other than conservation. It described the decision as a bold move that prioritised environmental protection over political interests. The coalition also welcomed the withdrawal of charges against the “Atronsu Five” and urged authorities to investigate the murder of 13-year-old Pious Nketia Nkansah.
Despite these positives, the coalition warned that several forest reserves, including the Atewa Range Forest Reserve, Cape Three Points, Afao Hills Forest and Draw River Forest Reserve, remain under severe threat from illegal mining activities. It called on the government to strengthen the Forestry Commission with more personnel, resources and protected camps while fulfilling a long-standing pledge to designate the Atewa Forest as a national park.
The coalition further cited continued illegal mining in the Eastern Region, around the Bui Hydroelectric Dam, Samreboi, Lake Bosomtwe and the Ahwiren wetlands as evidence that impunity remains widespread. It questioned what it described as selective enforcement in some regions and demanded the arrest and prosecution of individuals implicated in illegal mining around Lake Bosomtwe and other ecologically sensitive areas.
CAGG also raised concerns over allegations against the National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS), claiming it had received reports that confiscated equipment was allegedly returned to illegal miners after payments were made. It urged NAIMOS to publicly respond to the allegations and improve transparency by publishing details of complaints received and actions taken.
The coalition criticised what it described as weak collaboration by the Ghana Police Service in combating illegal mining, arguing that the deployment of more than 2,000 Blue Water Guards would have little impact if law enforcement agencies failed to act promptly on intelligence reports. It called for investigations into alleged police complicity and stronger sanctions against officers and regional commands that fail to curb illegal mining.
CAGG further urged the government to ensure that proposed amendments to the Minerals and Mining Act, 2006 (Act 703) provide stronger protections for forests, water bodies and mining communities. It also appealed for wider stakeholder consultations before Parliament considers the revised legislation and called for the publication of the Constitutional Review Committee’s report on environmental governance reforms. The coalition expressed disappointment that, despite earlier government promises, alleged kingpins behind illegal mining had largely escaped prosecution. It also renewed calls for the daily publication of water quality data, monthly reports on the state of Ghana’s rivers and forests, and regular updates on prosecutions related to illegal mining.
“We either deal with this menace or we perish, because without clean water, clean air and standing forests, we are done as a people,” the statement concluded, while reaffirming the coalition’s willingness to work with the government to strengthen the fight against galamsey.
Story By: Eric Boateng
