Ghanaian authorities have launched a nationwide crackdown on illegal mining—locally known as galamsey – resulting in the arrest of 38 individuals across several regions notorious for unauthorised gold extraction. The coordinated operations targeted high-risk zones where illicit mining has caused severe environmental damage, including residential areas and sites near major highways.
The initiative, sanctioned by the Acting Inspector General of Police, Christian Tetteh Yohuno, focused primarily on the Western, Ashanti, and Central Regions.
The police authorities, who have pledged continued action as part of long-term efforts to curb illegal mining and protect the environment from further degradation, have so far recorded remarkable successes across different regions.
In one of the most significant operations, police arrested 13 suspects at Huniso in the Western Region. These individuals were remanded by the Tarkwa Circuit Court and are due to reappear on 6 June 2025.
In the Ashanti Region, a police team led by the Ashanti South Regional Commander, ACP Joseph Nyaaba, raided a site just 200 metres from Asare Bediako Senior High School in Akrokerri, near Obuasi. Nine suspects were apprehended for allegedly using explosives that caused damage to school property.
Another operation was conducted on 29 May in Dunkwa-On-Offin, Central Region. Superintendent David Ashong and ASP Emmanuel Bruce led a 20-member team to the banks of the River Offin, where they arrested two illegal miners, Samuel Ankamah and Daniel Agyeman, who were found operating excavators. Both suspects remain in police custody pending further investigation.
In Wassa Dadieso, a community plagued by deep, hazardous mining pits, 82 officers led by Chief Superintendent William Jabialu of the Wassa Akropong Police District detained several individuals engaged in unauthorised mining. The operation then extended to Wassa Gyapa, another galamsey hotspot, where security forces destroyed over 135 changfan machines, seized a motorbike, and detained six additional suspects despite the challenging terrain.
