The Ashanti Regional Secretary of the Ghana National Association of Small Scale Miners has voiced deep concern over what he describes as a chaotic and exploitative crackdown on illegal mining activities, known locally as galamsey.
Michael Adu-Gyamfi, speaking on Citi FM’s ‘Breakfast Show’ on Monday, warned that the government’s anti-galamsey efforts are being undermined by a lack of coordination among state agencies, which he says is leading to intimidation and extortion of licensed small-scale miners.
“We have realised that there are several operations ongoing, and our observation proves that the institutions are uncoordinated and unregulated,” Mr. Adu-Gyamfi said. “On any given day, you may find three or four different operation teams showing up at one mining site, all claiming to be on the same anti-galamsey mission.”
The government has intensified its fight against illegal mining in recent years, deploying security personnel and task forces in an effort to curb the environmental destruction caused by the activity. However, Mr. Adu-Gyamfi suggests that these operations, though well-intentioned, are increasingly sowing confusion on the ground.
“This disorganisation has opened the door for some miscreants to intimidate and extort from our people under the guise of enforcement,” he said, calling for a complete overhaul of how anti-galamsey operations are structured and carried out.
According to Mr. Adu-Gyamfi, miners are often unsure whether the security personnel they encounter are acting under legitimate orders, with some claiming to represent national, regional, or district mandates. This, he said, has created fertile ground for abuse.
He also expressed unease over the involvement of the Minerals Development Fund (MDF) in these enforcement activities, questioning its authority and mandate in such operations.
“We cannot even understand what Dr. Hannah Bissiw is doing,” he said. “At what point did her group become a task force for illegal mining? The Minerals Development Fund is now leading a galamsey task force? What kind of institution is that?”
The Minerals Development Fund, traditionally tasked with managing financial benefits from mineral resources for community development, has not publicly commented on its alleged new enforcement role.
Mr. Adu-Gyamfi is urging government authorities to introduce a clearly defined, centralised approach to anti-galamsey enforcement, one that ensures transparency, protects legitimate small-scale miners, and holds officials accountable for misconduct.
