The Ashanti Regional Secretary of the Ghana National Association of Small-Scale Miners, Michael Adu-Gyamfi, has raised concerns over uncoordinated and unregulated anti-illegal mining operations.
Speaking on the Citi Breakfast Show on Tuesday, July 30, 2025, which was monitored by the Ghanaian RADAR, Mr. Adu-Gyamfi said multiple task forces operating under different state agencies have created confusion, resulting in intimidation and extortion of small-scale miners.
“We have realised that there are several operations ongoing, and our observation proves that the institutions are uncoordinated and unregulated,” he said. “In my jurisdiction, I have five zones, each of which covers a full district. On any given day, you may find three or four different operation teams showing up at one mining site — all claiming to be on the same anti-galamsey mission.”
Mr. Adu-Gyamfi noted that these teams often claim to be acting on orders from national, regional, or district authorities, making it difficult for miners to determine their legitimacy. “This disorganisation has opened the door for some miscreants to intimidate and extort from our people under the guise of enforcement,” he added.
He called on the government to review the current approach, stressing the need for clear coordination and accountability. Adu-Gyamfi also questioned the role of the Minerals Development Fund in leading anti-galamsey operations, saying, “We cannot even understand what Dr. Hannah Bissiw is doing. At what point did her group become a task force for illegal mining? We have never heard of this in our lives — the Minerals Development Fund is now leading a galamsey task force? What kind of institution is that?”
