The Ghana Coalition Against Galamsey (GCAG) is calling for urgent regulatory intervention by the National Petroleum Authority (NPA) to halt the supply of fuel to illegal mining operations across the country.

In a petition addressed to the Chief Executive of the Authority, Godwin Edudzi Tameklo, on Saturday, April 18, the coalition outlined a series of measures it believes are necessary to disrupt what it described as the “lifeblood” of galamsey activities.

Central to its demands is the introduction of data-driven audits to monitor fuel sales and flag filling stations in mining-prone areas recording unusually high volumes relative to the number of registered vehicles.

The group insists that findings from such audits should be made public to ensure transparency and accountability.

“We demand that the National Petroleum Authority (NPA) exercises its regulatory power to cut off the ‘lifeblood’ of illegal mining operations by implementing the following immediate actions: Conduct Data-Driven Audits to Identify Anomalies: We demand the NPA use its data systems to track fuel sales and identify stations in mining hotspots with anomalously high volumes relative to registered vehicles in the area. These reports should be published,” the petition stated.

The coalition further called for strict sanctions against Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) found to be complicit, including the revocation of licences and lifetime bans on their directors from operating within the downstream petroleum sector.

It also urged that such individuals be reported to the Attorney-General for prosecution.

“Revoke Licenses of Non-Compliant OMCs found to be facilitating illegal mining through the sale of massive fuel consignments to illegal miners. Ban and Prosecute Complicit Directors: We demand that the NPA permanently ban directors of offending OMCs from participating in the downstream petroleum industry and report them to the AG for prosecution,” the group added.

Beyond this, GCAG is advocating the strict enforcement of “Know Your Customer” (KYC) protocols to ensure that bulk fuel purchases are verified, as well as closer collaboration between the NPA and security agencies to intercept fuel consignments suspected to be heading to illegal mining sites.

The coalition maintains that cutting off fuel access remains one of the most effective strategies for tackling illegal mining, and has urged authorities to act decisively to safeguard the country’s environment.