An audiovisual recording device believed to have been secretly planted in the office of the Lands and Natural Resources Minister John Peter Amewu, has been discovered.

Joy News understands National Security operatives retrieved the suspected bug after they embarked on a routine screening exercise at the Ministry late June.

It was planted in the huge Coat of Arms plaque hanging in the far left corner of the Minister’s office.

The powerful secret recording set-up included a camera, a storage unit and another device suspected to be a transmitter.

The highly sensitive device which can even pick a whisper 35 feet away, is neatly housed in a black metal box and uses batteries.

Photo: Audio-visual recorder planted behind the Coat of Arms

It is unclear who put it there and how long it has been there.

The Minister has been on the forefront of the nation’s fight against illegal mining since he was appointed in January 2017.

Illegal mining is a toe-stepping fight after the practice has become an entrenched economic activity in all of Ghana's mining sectors.

In an interview with Joy News, Mr. Amewu said he has no reason to suspect anyone would be behind the bug.

"I don't know what might have triggered people to do that", he said.

John Peter Amewu said as a public officer, everyone had access to his office including sweepers.