600 galamseyers facing prosecution in 65 active cases – AG

The Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Dr Dominic Akuritinga Ayine, has disclosed that about 600 individuals are currently facing prosecution for their involvement in illegal mining operations nationwide.

Speaking at a high-level stakeholder forum on galamsey convened by President John Dramani Mahama in Accra on Friday, October 3, Dr Ayine explained that these prosecutions are being handled through 65 active dockets managed by the Attorney General’s Department.

“Currently, we have initiated prosecutions in 65 dockets, and there is a difference. When we say 65 dockets, it is not 65 individual persons who are being prosecuted,” he clarified, noting that many cases involve multiple defendants, with some dockets encompassing more than ten accused persons.

Highlighting the scale of the crackdown, Dr Ayine cited a single case in the Western North Region involving 28 illegal miners under one docket.

“By my calculation, the 65 dockets contain about 600 illegal miners that are being prosecuted,” he stated.

The Attorney General emphasised that these efforts form part of the government’s intensified campaign to tackle galamsey, which continues to ravage forests, contaminate water bodies, and disrupt legitimate mining activities.

He further reaffirmed the administration’s commitment to strengthening investigative procedures and closing legal loopholes that have previously allowed perpetrators to escape accountability — signalling a more robust and coordinated legal response to the illegal mining menace.