The Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources has broken its silence following a damning JoyNews documentary that exposed a high-level extortion racket facilitating illegal mining, popularly known as 'galamsey'.

Paa Kwesi Schandorf, the Media Relations Officer at the Ministry, confirmed that the Sector Minister, Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, has taken formal notice of the allegations and has directed an immediate investigation into the conduct of local officials named in the report.

The documentary, titled 'A Tax for Galamsey', which aired on Monday, 9th February 2026, revealed how a pay-to-destroy syndicate has been operating with impunity in the Amansie Central District.

The exposé alleged that despite the government’s 'Accra Reset' and the intensified efforts of the National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS), local political appointees have been undermining the fight by collecting illicit "taxes" from illegal miners.

“Yesterday, JoyNews aired an exposé on galamsey involving the Amansie Central District. The sector minister, Hon. Armah-Kofi Buah, has taken note of this development and the government will look into the allegations and take appropriate action,” Paa Kwesi Schandorf stated on Facebook on Tuesday, February 10.

Inside the 'Tax for Galamsey' racket

The JoyNews investigation provided a granular look at the mechanics of institutional sabotage.

Undercover footage and whistleblower testimonies detailed how illegal mining operators were allegedly required to pay protection fees to avoid raids by security task forces.

Mr Armah-Kofi Buah, who has recently overseen the reclamation of 800 acres of galamsey-ravaged land and introduced a new excavator import permit regime, is reportedly incensed by the revelations.

The Ministry’s five-pronged approach—which includes decentralised licensing and real-time technology monitoring—is being directly challenged by the very officials tasked with its enforcement.

The Ministry’s Media Relations Officer, Paa Kwesi Schandorf, has previously warned that galamsey tactics are becoming more sophisticated and dangerous, with miners setting traps for security personnel.

However, this documentary suggests that the greatest threat may be coming from within the government's own ranks.

The fallout has prompted immediate calls for the dismissal and prosecution of the implicated officials.