Small-Scale Miners cry foul over harassment and seizures, demand return of excavators

The Ghana National Association of Small Scale Miners (GNASSM) has called on the government to immediately release all excavators and equipment seized from licensed small-scale miners by various anti-galamsey task forces across the country.

At a press conference held in Kumasi on Wednesday, July 16, 2025, the Association raised alarm over what it described as increasing harassment, extortion, and intimidation of its members by some security operatives and politically connected individuals, despite their operations being legal.

“We’ve had enough of these injustices,” declared Abdul-Razak Alhassan, National Communications Director of GNASSM. “We demand an end to the extortion, intimidation, and harassment.”

According to Mr Alhassan, members of the association who operate with legitimate licences are being wrongly targeted. He alleged that security operatives, often under the influence of political figures, invade legal mining sites, seize machinery including excavators, and demand bribes to release the equipment.

“This is not just a threat to our livelihoods,” he said, “but a direct contradiction to the government’s commitment to formalising and expanding the small-scale mining sector.”

Mr Alhassan called for a clear protocol to govern law enforcement operations at mining sites to protect legitimate miners from unlawful treatment. He also proposed a more inclusive approach to combating illegal mining, recommending that authorities engage unauthorised miners to correct their methods and help them transition into the formal sector.

The small-scale mining industry remains a major contributor to Ghana’s economy. According to the Minerals Commission, the sector generated approximately $1.7 billion in the first half of 2024, accounting for about 36 per cent of the country’s total gold export revenue.

With the government aiming to double gold production from the small-scale mining sector, GNASSM believes stronger collaboration between stakeholders is critical to achieving this target.

“We want to work with the government to develop a comprehensive plan to tackle the challenges facing the sector,” said GNASSM President, Kwaku Armah, who also addressed the media. “Together, we can ensure that small-scale mining contributes to the country’s economic growth while minimising its environmental impact.”

The Association further warned that unless government acts swiftly to curb the ongoing harassment and return the confiscated equipment, tensions between miners and security personnel may escalate, potentially threatening peace and productivity in mining communities.

“We are law-abiding Ghanaians contributing to the national economy,” Alhassan concluded. “All we are asking for is fairness, protection, and respect under the law.”