Licensed small-scale miners across Ghana are demanding swift and decisive action from President John Dramani Mahama over what they describe as the unlawful operations of a self-styled anti-galamsey task force that is undermining government efforts to regulate the mining sector.
The miners say this rogue group, made up of individuals “masquerading as powerful operatives,” has become a law unto itself—harassing licensed miners, seizing equipment, extorting money, and derailing the government’s sanctioned anti-illegal mining campaign.
A recent near-violent standoff in the Western Region between the illegal task force and the official National Anti-Galamsey Task Force nearly triggered a crisis. According to reports, the confrontation only deescalated after the intervention of Energy and Mines Minister Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, who ordered the official task force to withdraw. Eyewitnesses claim the rogue operatives later blocked the national team’s route to Accra, attempting to disarm them—raising serious concerns about national security and command control.
The illegal task force has been accused of violently attacking legitimate mining sites in the Ashanti Region, destroying a brand-new SUV and seizing heavy-duty machinery. Miners say their operations have been severely disrupted by these unauthorized raids, which have led to substantial financial losses and threats to life and property.
Within just one week, two major industry groups—the National Small-Scale Miners Association and the Ghana Concerned Small-Scale Miners—have held separate press conferences to highlight the deteriorating situation. Both associations are united in their call for the immediate disbandment of the illegal task force and the creation of a high-level investigative committee to unmask those behind it.
“If this rogue group is allowed to operate unchecked, it will completely erode the progress being made under the government’s anti-galamsey campaign,” one miner warned. “We are licensed, we follow the law, and yet we are under siege.”
The Ghana Concerned Small-Scale Miners echoed these concerns, demanding protection from the state and warning that further inaction could lead to widespread unrest among miners who feel betrayed by the very government meant to defend their livelihoods.
“There’s growing fear among our members. Equipment worth millions is being destroyed or extorted. If the government does not act now, this situation could spiral out of control,” a spokesperson stated.
The miners insist that only a full-scale investigation with the authority to prosecute will restore confidence and ensure that the legitimate mining sector continues to support national development.
“We are not asking for favours. We are asking for justice and the enforcement of the rule of law,” they concluded.
