The Trades Union Congress (TUC) has pledged to put more pressure on the government in the days ahead to take decisive action against galamsey or illegal mining in the country.
The Union has criticised government’s recent meeting with Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) claiming that such talks have not yielded any significant solutions in the past.
Speaking to journalists on Friday, October 10, during a fact-finding trip to River Birim in the Eastern Region, TUC Secretary-General Joshua Ansah voiced his profound concern over the declining condition of Ghana’s water bodies as a result of galamsey, calling it a “heinous crime.”
The Union has called on government to urgently take drastic steps to tackle illegal mining.
“The fight to dismantle galamsey is the government’s fight. All of us must and will support. In the few weeks, the TUC will outline a few measures to support the fight against galamsey.
“The call of these measures will be to exert maximum pressure on the government and its agencies to act decisively on galamsey.
“Government must act decisively and must act now. Galamsey must stop; enough of the meetings and advocacy, talking, we need action now. The leadership of TUC will meet after this important tour and make a very decisive decision with the government on the way forward,” he said.
According to Mr. Ansah, a major barrier in the fight against galamsey is the nation’s highly centralized land administration system, which restricts the participation of traditional authorities who are vital in fighting the menace.
TUC’s caution adds to the public’s dissatisfaction with the government’s handling of illegal mining, which continues to endanger the nation’s water supplies, environment, and livelihoods.
President Mahama recently held a stakeholder engagement with CSOs on galamsey promising to intensify the fight against the menace. The President has, however, ruled out any possibility of declaring a state of emergency in galamsey areas.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources has disclosed that the Attorney-General is prosecuting close to 1500 cases of illegal mining which are currently at various stages of prosecution.
Speaking to the media on Friday, October, 10, 2025, the Director of Communications at the Ministry, Mawusi Ama Mawuenyefia said the arrests which were made by the National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat within the last nine months demonstrates government’s will to the fight.
She added that NAIMOS has confiscated several excavators, changfang machines, water pumping machines and generators since January 2025.
“We have also confiscated some changfang machines, some heavy-duty water pumps, some generators, some Land Cruiser vehicles, shovels, pick axes, mobile phones, Indian hemp, mercury, torchlight and a whole lot of things.
“We are also clear to say the law is the law and if you break the law, there will be consequences. We have seen some several arrests over the period. We are talking close to 1500 arrests over the period and the Attorney-General is working on prosecutions,” she stated.
1500 illegal miners arrested; A-G working on prosecutions – Lands Ministry
