A shadowy, unauthorised taskforce purportedly fighting illegal mining has unleashed a wave of terror across Ghana’s small-scale mining sector, prompting a passionate appeal from sector leaders to President John Dramani Mahama for swift and decisive action.
According to the leadership of the National Small Scale Miners Association and the Ghana Concerned Small Scale Miners, this so-called anti-galamsey group, operating without any official mandate, has been targeting licensed mining operators under the guise of enforcing government policy. The group, made up of individuals claiming powerful political connections, is accused of operating with brazen impunity, threatening livelihoods and eroding hard-won gains in the formalisation of the small-scale mining industry.
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The situation came to a head in the Western Region, where a dangerous confrontation nearly broke out between the illegal taskforce and the government’s official National Anti-Galamsey Taskforce. Reports indicate that the unauthorised group blocked the national taskforce’s convoy en route to Accra, demanding that they surrender. The high-stakes standoff, which lasted for several hours, was only resolved after the timely intervention of the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Hon. Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah.
Despite the temporary calm, the underlying tension remains unresolved. Eyewitnesses revealed that the rogue taskforce had earlier carried out a series of violent raids on licensed concessions, particularly in the Ashanti Region, where they allegedly extorted large sums of money from operators, destroyed valuable equipment, and even vandalized a brand-new SUV vehicle.
“This illegal taskforce is not only attacking our members but also undermining government legitimacy. We are calling on President Mahama to immediately set up a high-level independent committee to investigate this criminal syndicate and bring its sponsors to book,” the small-scale miners said.
Echoing similar concerns, the Ghana Concerned Small Scale Miners described the current climate as one of fear and insecurity for legitimate operators. “Our members are contributing to the economy, paying taxes, and following the law. They cannot be left at the mercy of violent impostors. We urge the President to dismantle this taskforce and prosecute those behind it,” a representative stated.
Both associations warned that if the illegal group is not urgently disbanded, the chaos it sows could jeopardise the government’s efforts to clean up the mining sector and deter future investment. They stressed the importance of restoring law and order to protect legitimate operators and to demonstrate the Mahama administration’s commitment to upholding the rule of law.