Arrests alone won’t end galamsey — media coalition convener warns
Convener of the Media Coalition Against Galamsey, Ing. Kenneth Ashigbey, has urged authorities to ensure that suspects arrested for illegal mining are consistently prosecuted, stressing that arrests without convictions will not bring an end to the problem.
He acknowledged that security task forces mandated to combat galamsey have recorded notable successes in recent operations. However, he maintained that the absence of sustained prosecutions and convictions continues to undermine the overall fight against illegal mining.
His remarks come in the wake of recent enforcement actions, including an operation by the Forestry Commission’s Rapid Response Team that led to the arrest of 31 suspected illegal miners in the Apampama Forest Reserve. In a separate exercise, the National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS) also arrested five additional suspects.
Speaking to Citi News on Tuesday, December 30, 2025, Dr Ashigbey praised the efforts of NAIMOS and other security task forces but raised concerns about what becomes of suspects after they are arrested.
“The arrests by the rapid response teams are commendable. NAIMOS continues to do its work in various areas, and that is encouraging. The challenge, however, is what happens after the arrests,” he said.
He expressed worry that many suspects are often granted bail with little clarity on the progress or outcome of their cases, recalling previous situations where alleged ringleaders were arrested but later released.
“How many prosecutions have we seen? How many convictions have we had? People are arrested, granted bail, and we don’t know where the cases end up,” he noted.
Dr Ashigbey cautioned that without firm legal follow-through, Ghana risks repeating the failures of earlier initiatives such as Operation Vanguard, which recorded high arrest figures but low prosecution rates.
He therefore called on the Chief Justice and the Judiciary to closely track galamsey-related cases and ensure they are pursued to their conclusion.
“This is a crime that is destroying our environment and affecting all of us. The judiciary must pay particular attention to it if we are serious about winning the fight against galamsey,” he added.
Source: CNR
