Ghana’s fight against illegal mining has hit a roadblock, with prosecution rates woefully inadequate. According to Lands and Natural Resources Minister Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, only a tiny fraction of offenders have faced justice.
“In the last few years, the numbers for prosecution for illegal mining is not very encouraging,” Mr. Buah told Parliament on Wednesday. “Out of over 800, the people who have been prosecuted were less than 40. So we need to look at that area as well.”
The alarming lack of progress in tackling illegal mining is compounded by the sheer scale of destruction. A staggering 44 out of 288 forest reserves are under severe threat, with over 5,000 hectares of land already ravaged.
In a shocking admission, Mr. Buah revealed that nine of these reserves are now effectively no-go zones, overrun by heavily armed illegal miners who outgun the Forestry Commission.