Security agencies have arrested a total of 1,486 illegal miners between January 7 and November 30, 2025, as part of intensified national efforts to clamp down on galamsey activities across the country.

The nationwide operations, conducted in major illegal mining hotspots, also resulted in the seizure of 443 excavators and 11 bulldozers used in the destruction of farmlands, forest reserves, and water bodies.

Providing an update on Tuesday, December 2, Ama Mawusi Mawuenyefia, Director of Communications at the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources, disclosed that the crackdown further led to the confiscation of 86 pump-action guns, 31 motorbikes, 14 vehicles, and 1,200 pumping machines.

Security personnel also seized 36 LPG cylinders and several washing boards used for gold processing.

Miss Mawuenyefia revealed that security agencies received GHS234,000 in attempted bribes from persons seeking to obstruct enforcement activities.

She noted that beyond arrests and equipment seizures, the government’s interventions had created 2,000 direct jobs in the past 11 months through programmes such as the Blue Water Guards, mine repository teams, forest guards, and staff of the National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS).

The Director of Communications outlined several measures implemented since the start of 2025 to sanitise the small-scale mining sector and protect the environment.

Key among them was the government’s March directive indefinitely suspending all small-scale mining licenses issued after the December 7, 2024, elections.

A technical committee was subsequently established to review all existing licenses nationwide.

Additionally, a new registration and tracking system was introduced for all excavators, including imported machinery, to prevent their diversion into illegal mining.

The government also rolled out the Responsible Cooperative Mining and Skills Development Programme (rCOMSDEP) to promote sustainable and regulated mining practices.

Miss Mawuenyefia said these measures have contributed significantly to the arrests and equipment seizures recorded this year.

She acknowledged, however, that the fight against illegal mining remains far from over.

“We know that our rivers, which were heavily polluted when this government took office, have not completely cleared.

We know that our forest reserves are not yet free from galamsey, but more work has been done to stem the tide,” she stated.

She assured Ghanaians that the government remains committed to pursuing all individuals engaged in illegal mining until the country’s water bodies and forests are fully restored.