The Inspector-General of Police’s Special Anti-Galamsey Taskforce has seized seven excavators in a series of operations targeting illegal mining activities, galamsey, in Ahwiren, a small community in the Bekwai Municipality of the Ashanti Region. The operation was launched at the request of the Chief of Ahwiren, Nana Osei Boateng, following reports that miners allegedly backed […]
Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa has paid tribute to the late Defence Minister, Dr Edward Omane Boamah, highlighting his unwavering determination to confront Ghana’s illegal mining menace head-on. Speaking on Channel One TV on Monday, 11 August, Mr Ablakwa described Dr Omane Boamah as a visionary leader whose resolve and integrity could have transformed […]
Over fifteen armed men claiming to be national security operatives stormed the Bekwai District office of the Forestry Commission in the Ashanti region, locking up the premises and preventing staff from carrying out their duties. The men, wielding pump-action guns and other implements, reportedly threatened the on-site security personnel, forcibly drove out the staff, and […]
President John Mahama has declared the widespread environmental devastation caused by illegal mining a national emergency, promising urgent action to confront the deepening crisis. Addressing a durbar during his ‘Thank You Tour’ of the Western North Region on Tuesday, July 15, he expressed grave concern over the extent of destruction in Awaso, Dadieso, and Sefwi […]
Environmental journalist, Erastus Asare Donkor, has made allegations regarding the military’s involvement in shielding an illegal mining operation deep within the Anwiaso East Forest Reserve in the Western North region. Speaking on The Pulse on JoyNews on Wednesday, 19 June, Mr Donkor disclosed that the investigative team has been monitoring the illegal operation for months, […]
JoyNews has learned that a group of security operatives, who identified themselves as members of the National Security, allegedly attempted to remove five heavy-duty excavators from the office yard of the Ashanti Regional Forestry Commission. According to JoyNews‘ environmental journalist, Erastus Asare Donkoh, who has been closely covering the issue of illegal mining (galamsey) in the country, […]
Rev. Charles Owusu, the former Head of Monitoring at the Forestry Commission, has called for a radical shift in Ghana’s fight against illegal mining, commonly referred to as galamsey. He argued that the ongoing struggle cannot be won through rhetoric, political interference, or isolated crackdowns. Speaking on Adom FM’s Dwaso Nsem programme on Tuesday, April 22, Rev. Owusu […]
The Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Emmanuel Armah Kofi Buah, has directed the immediate revocation of all mining licenses held by Akonta Mining Company Limited. This follows serious allegations of illegal mining activities (galamsey) and regulatory breaches by the mining company. Speaking at a press conference on Monday, April 21, the Minister disclosed that […]
The Minority in Parliament has accused the government of endangering Ghana’s mining sector with a string of harmful policies. In a letter dated April 21, 2025, the opposition warned that the new measures will stifle growth, repel foreign investment, and trigger job losses. The letter, addressed to the Ministers for Finance and Lands and Natural […]
The military has stormed and demolished a hidden settlement with a population of over 10,000 residents in the Western Region. The Abrewa Ne Nkran community, which lacks basic social amenities and is not recorded in any official national documents, is said to have been established by both Ghanaians and foreign nationals involved in illegal gold […]
Security analyst Prof. Kwesi Aning has criticised the decision to let those who pose existential threats to the state go unpunished will only embolden transnational criminal networks and undermine national security efforts. Speaking on Joy News’ PM Express on Tuesday, April 8, he criticised what he described as the state’s failure to enforce its laws, […]
The Minister for the Interior, Muntaka Mubarak, has ordered the immediate transfer of all Police Commanders stationed in mining areas as part of intensified efforts to curb illegal mining, also known as galamsey. Speaking during an engagement with Imams and Zongo Chiefs in Kumasi, the Minister stressed the government’s commitment to tackling the menace, which […]
