President John Dramani Mahama has announced a major shift in the fight against illegal mining, popularly known as galamsey, declaring that his administration will now go after the powerful financiers and masterminds behind the menace.
Delivering his 2026 State of the Nation Address in Parliament, on February 27, 2026, the President described illegal mining as a “grave threat” to Ghana’s environment, water bodies, public health and national security.
He admitted that although arrests and prosecutions have taken place over the years, they have often failed to capture the real architects of the operations.
"Mr Speaker, prosecution of persons engaged in illegal mining has been intense," President Mahama told lawmakers.
However, he pointed out that enforcement has largely focused on low-level offenders.
He stressed that authorities must go beyond chasing small operators and instead dismantle the networks that fund and protect them.
"Mr Speaker, in all these galamsey operations, there are big fishes who never get caught," the President declared.
To change that narrative, he announced the deployment of specialised prosecutorial teams dedicated to fast-tracking galamsey-related cases and targeting those at the top of the chain.
"Specialised prosecutorial teams have been deployed to fast-track illegal mining cases, ensure the effective presentation of evidence, and pursue the confiscation and forfeiture of equipment and proceeds used in or derived from illegal mining," he added.
President Mahama revealed that about 140 communities particularly towns and villages remain highly vulnerable to illegal mining activities.
By shifting attention to the financiers and beneficiaries, the President signaled what he described as a renewed and more strategic crackdown aimed at protecting Ghana’s forests, rivers and future generations.
NA/VPO
LIVESTREAMING: President Mahama presents 2026 State of the Nation Address
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