The Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Emmanuel Armah Kofi Buah, has outlined decisive government actions to combat illegal mining activities across the country, including the revocation of mining licenses, mass arrests, and the seizure of heavy machinery.
Speaking during the Government Accountability Series on Wednesday, July 23, the Minister emphasized that the government is determined to sanitize the mining sector and enforce transparency, sustainability, and the rule of law.
He revealed that 55 small-scale mining licenses issued during the transitional period have already been revoked, and 907 out of 1,278 licenses are currently under review for possible revocation due to irregularities identified by the Small-Scale Mining Review Committee.
The Minister noted that the exercise is being extended to cover large-scale mining licenses, as the government pushes to ensure full compliance across the sector.
Law enforcement agencies, working in close collaboration with the Ministry, have seized 425 excavators and other mining machinery since operations began. A total of 1,345 individuals have also been arrested nationwide, with prosecutions underway.
Under the Forestry Commission alone, 177 excavators have been confiscated, in addition to four bulldozers, 12 vehicles, 43 motorcycles, 155 pumping machines, 184 chanfans, 15 detector machines, and 10 heavy-duty generators. The Forestry Commission’s operations have also led to the arrest of 286 individuals.
To enhance coordination and effectiveness in the ongoing crackdown, the government has established the National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NEMOS) as the nerve center for Ghana’s response to illegal mining. NEMOS brings together the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources, the Ministry of the Interior, the Ministry of Defense, the Attorney General’s Department, and the National Security Secretariat.
According to the Minister, NEMOS integrates security, environmental, and legal strategies to respond more effectively to the environmental degradation caused by illegal small-scale mining, especially in water bodies and forest reserves.
In a further effort to prevent the illegal import and misuse of excavators, the government has partnered with the Ministry of Transport, Ministry of Finance, the Ghana Revenue Authority (Customs Division), and the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority to monitor the entry of earth-moving equipment into the country. So far, 1,200 excavators have been impounded at the ports pending validation.
A centralized digital platform—the Ghana Mine Repository and Tracking Software—is also being developed to support this effort. The Minerals Commission is leading the initiative, which will integrate data from key institutions including Customs, DVLA, National Security, and the Ministry of Transport to track and regulate the use of mining equipment.
Minister Buah commended the inter-agency collaboration driving the anti-galamsey efforts and assured Ghanaians that the government remains committed to restoring discipline and accountability in the mining sector.