The Ghana National Association of Small Scale Miners has accused elements within the nation’s security services and politically connected individuals of harassment, extortion, and illegal seizure of mining equipment under the guise of fighting illegal mining.

At a press conference, the Association alleged that powerful figures are running parallel, unsanctioned task forces nationwide, targeting small-scale miners—both licensed and unlicensed—for personal gain.

Abdul Razak Alhassan, Communication Officer of the Association, described the situation as dire, stating that the activities of these groups undermine not just mining but fundamental human rights and Ghana’s anti-corruption efforts.

“Intimidation and alleged extortion of small-scale miners by some elements within law enforcement agencies, especially the police, and politically exposed persons who run their own task forces for selfish interests, remain a serious concern,” Mr Alhassan said.

According to him, these unauthorised operations have led to the unlawful confiscation of excavators and other machinery legally deployed by licensed operators.

“Some police officers and other security personnel, sometimes acting under the influence or protection of powerful political figures, storm mining sites with impunity. They confiscate equipment, demand illegal payments, and in some cases violently eject miners from land they are legally licensed to mine,” he added.

The Association warned that these actions are not only hurting livelihoods but also threatening the formalisation of the small-scale mining sector, which employs thousands and contributes significantly to the local economy.

“The small-scale mining sector has huge socio-economic prospects if properly managed. The employment opportunities, the supply of raw gold for value addition, and the upstream, mainstream, and downstream linkage benefits, as well as its integration into our local economy, cannot be overemphasised,” Mr Alhassan stated.

He noted that despite recent progress—such as the establishment of the Ghana Gold Board and the sanitisation of gold trading—the sector is still battling unlawful interference.

“From January to April 2025, the country earned over $2.7 billion in forest earnings from gold, much of which came from the small-scale sector. But this progress is being undermined by corrupt elements exploiting the system,” he said.

The Association is calling on the government to intervene decisively.

“We demand the immediate release of all excavators and other machinery seized from both large and small-scale mining sites. Government must act now to halt these abuses,” Mr Alhassan concluded.