Ghana has lost an estimated 8,900 hectares of forest reserves to illegal mining, with the government admitting that prosecution of suspects remains a major challenge in the fight against galamsey.

The figure, which represents an area equivalent to about 12,500 football fields, was disclosed by the Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, during a policy dialogue with the IMANI Centre for Policy and Education in Accra.

Buah said nine out of Ghana’s 288 forest reserves have been severely affected by illegal mining, with significant pressure also being placed on Forestry Commission personnel tasked with protecting the affected areas.

Figures from the Ministry, covering operations up to July 2026, show that 258 people have been arrested in connection with illegal mining activities in forest reserves.

The operations have also led to the seizure or immobilisation of 234 excavators, 2,728 pumping machines and 1,724 changfan machines.

A further 461 motorbikes and tricycles have been seized or immobilised.

Despite the arrests, Buah says the government’s biggest difficulty lies in securing successful prosecutions.

“The challenge we are having is not the arrest. It is the prosecution,” he said.

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The Minister said the Lands Ministry is engaging the Attorney-General’s Department to address bottlenecks affecting the prosecution of persons arrested in illegal mining operations.

As part of efforts to prevent illegal mining equipment from entering the country, government has also introduced tighter documentation and clearance requirements for excavators.

More than 4,000 excavators are currently being held at Ghana’s ports pending compliance with the new requirements.

The government is also proposing changes to the mining licensing regime as part of a broader strategy to tackle abuses within the sector.

Under the proposed reforms, the maximum initial duration of large-scale mining leases would be reduced from 30 years to 20 years.

Holders of exploration and prospecting licences would also be required to demonstrate actual work on their concessions within specified periods.

Buah criticised companies that retain mining concessions for years without undertaking meaningful exploration or development, describing the practice as an obstacle to efficient use of Ghana’s mineral resources.

Meanwhile, government says it has recruited and trained about 2,000 Blue Water Guards to provide intelligence and support efforts to protect the country’s water bodies from illegal mining.

The Minister acknowledged disciplinary concerns within the programme, including allegations of bribery, but maintained that the initiative was contributing to the fight against galamsey.

The government says its revised strategy will combine tighter controls on mining equipment, stronger enforcement, reforms to the licensing regime and greater community participation in decisions concerning mining concessions.

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