The Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Armah Kofi Buah, has disclosed that a total of 1,345 individuals have been arrested nationwide since January 2025 for their involvement in illegal mining activities, popularly known as galamsey.

Speaking during the Government’s Accountability Series on Wednesday, Mr Buah stated: "We have also made 1,345 arrests nationwide since we started, and prosecutions are steadily progressing."

He noted that the legal processes involving the suspects are currently at various stages, and further updates would be provided by the Attorney General in due course.

In addition to the arrests, the Minister revealed that significant quantities of mining equipment have been seized from illegal operators across the country.

"177 excavators have been seized, four bulldozers, 12 vehicles, 43 motorcycles, 155 pumping machines, 184 chanfan machines, 15 dictator machines, and 10 heavy-duty generators have all been seized," he stated.

According to Mr Buah, these seizures, including the arrest of 286 individuals, were carried out by the Forestry Commission alone.

He assured the public of the government’s commitment to intensifying its clampdown on illegal mining and reinforcing regulatory enforcement to protect the environment and safeguard the country’s water bodies.

“These measures are all aimed at sanitising the mining sector to ensure transparency and sustainable operations,” he stressed.

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