The Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources has disclosed that more than 1,900 suspected illegal miners have been arrested across key hotspots nationwide as authorities intensify efforts to clamp down on galamsey activities.
Speaking on Breakfast Daily on Channel One TV on Friday, March 20, media relations officer at the Lands Ministry and NAIMOS spokesperson Paa Kwesi Schandorf said the arrests were made in six out of Ghana’s 16 regions identified as major flashpoints for illegal mining.

According to him, the arrests were made across the Ashanti, Western, Western North, Central, Eastern, and parts of the northern enclaves, noting that the Ashanti Region remains the epicentre of the galamsey menace, largely due to its rich mineral deposits, which continue to attract illegal miners in large numbers.

“We can say that well over 1,900 suspected illegal miners have been arrested. And that has been across the relevant flashpoints,” he said.

He added that the fight against illegal mining has not been without challenges, noting that financial constraints are a major obstacle affecting the effectiveness and sustainability of operations.

“It has not been easy. To be very honest, NAIMOS has also been financially challenged in terms of its operations,” he stated.