Ghana has lost an estimated 8,900 hectares of forest reserves to illegal mining, with the government admitting that bringing suspected offenders to justice remains one of its biggest challenges.
Lands and Natural Resources Minister Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah disclosed the figure during a policy dialogue with the IMANI Centre for Policy and Education in Accra.
The affected area is equivalent to roughly 12,500 football fields. According to the minister, nine of Ghana’s 288 forest reserves have been severely impacted by illegal mining, putting additional pressure on Forestry Commission personnel responsible for protecting the areas.
Figures from the Ministry covering operations up to July 2026 indicate that 258 people have been arrested in connection with illegal mining activities in forest reserves.
Authorities have also seized or immobilised 234 excavators, 2,728 pumping machines and 1,724 changfan machines during operations. A further 461 motorbikes and tricycles have also been seized or immobilised.
Despite the arrests and seizures, Buah said the major obstacle now lies in prosecuting those arrested.
“The challenge we are having is not the arrest. It is the prosecution,” he said.
The minister said the Lands Ministry is working with the Attorney-General’s Department to address bottlenecks that have made it difficult to secure successful prosecutions in illegal mining cases.
The government is also tightening controls on mining equipment entering the country, including stricter documentation and clearance requirements for excavators.
More than 4,000 excavators are currently being held at Ghana’s ports while owners work to meet the new requirements.
Beyond enforcement, the government is proposing changes to the mining licensing system. Under the proposed reforms, the maximum initial term of large-scale mining leases would be reduced from 30 years to 20 years.
Exploration and prospecting licence holders would also be required to demonstrate actual work on their concessions within specified periods.
Buah criticised companies that retain mining concessions for years without meaningful exploration or development, describing the practice as a barrier to the effective use of Ghana’s mineral resources.
Meanwhile, the government says it has recruited and trained about 2,000 Blue Water Guards to provide intelligence and support the protection of water bodies threatened by illegal mining.
The minister acknowledged disciplinary concerns within the programme, including allegations of bribery, but maintained that the initiative was still contributing to efforts to tackle galamsey.
The government’s broader strategy combines tighter controls on mining equipment, stronger enforcement, changes to the licensing regime and greater community involvement in decisions over mining concessions.
