BY: Kyei Kwadwo Yamoah, Executive Director of HELP foundation Africa
The government’s actions since January 2025 have made important short-term gains (reduced visible galamsey, seized equipment, created institutions). But sustained success requires closing the gaps especially by (a) fully operationalizing traceability and market controls, (b) scaling financing and technical capability for reclamation, (c) delivering credible alternative livelihoods, and (d) strengthening transparency, local governance and the justice pipeline. Without these, enforcement risks being cyclical and socially destabilizing.
GOVERNMENT’S ACTIONS AND STATUS: PROGRESS DASHBOARD (JAN to OCT 2025)
1) March 19, 2025:- Revocation of small-scale mining licenses issued after 7 Dec 2024
- Measure: Revocation of all small-scale mining licences issued after 07-Dec-2024 (cited as irregularly issued).
- Responsible: Ministry of Lands & Natural Resources (MLNR).
- Status (Mar–Oct 2025): MLNR announced the revocations and began administrative follow-ups and audits; press briefings and media reports confirm cancellations and further investigations.
- Notes: Action intended to clean up the licensing register and remove improperly issued permits. Enforcement + follow up with license-holders and local authorities remains ongoing.
- Official source / link: MLNR press coverage of the revocation. mlnr.gov.gh
2) Mar 28–29, 2025:- Passage of the Ghana Gold Board (GoldBod) Act (ACT 1140)
- Measure: Parliament passed the Act establishing the Ghana Gold Board (GoldBod), a legal framework to centralize gold buying, licensing of gold traders and strengthen traceability/market oversight.
- Responsible: Parliament / Ministry of Finance (GoldBod sits under Finance).
- Status (Mar–Oct 2025): The Act was passed (late March); GoldBod launched structures, issued directives and began operations, including plans for track-and-trace. Implementation of some systems (traceability, licensing) is ongoing.
- Notes: GoldBod is a structural reform intended both to reduce smuggling and better regulate artisanal/small-scale gold flows. It has launched taskforces and announced a track-and-trace roadmap.
- Official source / link: GoldBod site news & Act announcement (GoldBod repository). Ghana Gold Board
3) April – May 2025:- Government commits to excavator import permit regime & tracking (announcement & regulatory change)
- Measure: New permit regime for importation and activation of excavators — excavation equipment may be imported/activated only with authorisation; plan for trackers and geo-fencing on excavators.
- Responsible: Presidency (policy announcement) in coordination with MLNR, Minerals Commission, Transport, Ports & DVLA.
- Status (May–Oct 2025): Government announced the permit regime (June/early Jun press statements) and by July reported hundreds of excavators under digital surveillance; Minerals Commission / MLNR continued tracker fitting and monitoring.
- Notes: Objective is to make every excavator traceable and to prevent their use in protected areas (rivers, forest reserves) via geo-fencing and real-time monitoring. Implementation is phased trackers fitted to machines arriving/registered; penalties are being enforced when machines operate in no-go zones.
- Official sources / links: Presidency announcement on excavator import permits (Jun 3, 2025); MLNR & media on tracker rollout and stats. The Presidency, Republic of Ghana
4) June 27, 2025:- Launch of NAIMOS (National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat)
- Measure: Creation / launch of NAIMOS a national secretariat to coordinate anti-illegal mining operations (intelligence-led operations, raids, coordination among ministries/security agencies).
- Responsible: MLNR, supported by Interior & Defence ministries (multi-agency).
- Status (Jun–Oct 2025): Secretariat inaugurated and reportedly leading intelligence-driven raids, seizures and arrests. Regular media/MLNR updates indicate ongoing operations.
- Notes: NAIMOS centralises planning and operational coordination; it is the on-ground coordination hub for the enforcement agenda.
- Official source / link: MLNR / government coverage of NAIMOS launch. GBC Ghana Online
5) June 2–July 2025:- GoldBod track-and-trace & taskforce activation
- Measure: GoldBod announced a track-and-trace system for gold and launched a GoldBod taskforce (to detect smuggling, formalise small-scale gold flows, license buyers and close export loopholes).
- Responsible: Ghana Gold Board (GoldBod) under Ministry of Finance.
- Status (Jun–Oct 2025): GoldBod Act passed; GoldBod announced concrete measures (traceability system, licensing suspension/enforcement, prosecutions). Some licensing actions and investigations were publicized; full traceability rollouts were scheduled progressively.
- Notes: This is complementary to MLNR enforcement it targets the downstream market (buyers/exporters) to cut economic incentives for illegal mining and smuggling.
- Official source / link: GoldBod press releases and news on plans for track-and-trace and taskforce activities. Ghana Gold Board
6) April–July 2025:- Reclamation, reforestation (Tree for Life) & Blue Water Initiative
- Measure: Launch of integrated reclamation and restoration programmes (“Tree for Life” reforestation; “Blue Water Guards” / river-protection initiatives) to restore land and protect water bodies.
- Responsible: MLNR, Forestry Commission, EPA, local governments (plus civil society partners).
- Status (Apr–Oct 2025): Seedling production/planting and community-based river guard plans have started; full landscape scale reclamation is a long-term programme.
- Notes: These are remediation and community engagement measures that run in parallel with enforcement critical for long-term environmental recovery.
- Official source / link: MLNR & related official coverage describing reforestation and river protection efforts. mlnr.gov.gh
7) April – Oct 2025:- Strengthened multi-agency enforcement and specialized training
- Measure: Training of police/security operatives; multi-agency operations (including military/police deployments to protect rivers and forests, and joint raids). Ghana Chamber of Mines and Police partnership for specialized training was announced.
- Responsible: Ministry of Interior, Ghana Police Service, Defence, MLNR, Ghana Chamber of Mines (support).
- Status (Apr–Oct 2025): Training programmes executed; documented coordinated raids and seizures. Some permanent deployments and temporary special operations carried out.
- Notes: These measures improve enforcement capacity, but oversight mechanisms (IDs for operatives, civilian oversight) were also announced to reduce abuse and impostors.
- Official source / link: Ghana Chamber of Mines and Police training announcements; MLNR operational updates. CitiNewsroom.com
8) April–Oct 2025:- Anti-smuggling & market controls (including limits on gold trading by foreigners)
- Measure: Measures to curb smuggling: tighter licensing of gold buyers, limits on who may trade/export gold, and enforcement actions against smuggling networks (GoldBod role). Some announcements limited foreign participation in local gold trading.
- Responsible: GoldBod (Ministry of Finance), Ghana Revenue Authority (customs), Security agencies.
- Status (Jun–Oct 2025): GoldBod and security taskforces have publicized investigations, prosecutions and some suspensions; full market reform is phased.
- Notes: Market-level reforms are designed to reduce incentives for illegal production by making it harder to sell smuggled gold and improving traceability.
- Official source / link: GoldBod announcements and media reports about taskforce actions and market controls. Ghana Gold Board
9) June – Sep 2025:- ID system for anti-galamsey operatives & oversight measures
- Measure: Introduction of identity (ID) system and oversight for taskforce operatives to curb impostors and abuse during operations.
- Responsible: MLNR / NAIMOS in coordination with Interior.
- Status (Jun–Oct 2025): The ID/oversight system was announced after reports of impostors and misuse; work on implementation continued.
- Notes: This is an accountability measure tied to enforcement meant to protect civilians and ensure lawful operations.
- Official source / link: MLNR / media coverage of the proposed ID system. miif.gov.gh
10) Aug – Oct 2025:- Scaling up tracking: numbers & geo-fencing progress (operational metrics)
- Measure: Fitting of trackers to excavators, establishment of control rooms and geo-fencing to auto-demobilize machines entering restricted zones. Government periodically reported numbers of excavators fitted/monitored.
- Responsible: Minerals Commission, MLNR, Minerals/NAIMOS task teams.
- Status (Oct 2025 snapshot): By July 2025 government reported 191+ excavators under digital surveillance; later October reporting indicated hundreds more (647 trackers mentioned in wider coverage later in 2025). Rollout remains ongoing and being scaled as machines are registered/monitored.
- Notes: This is the technology backbone for enforcement coverage increases as more excavators are fitted and operators register. Expect continued growth in tracker coverage.
- Official source / link: Citi/CitiNewsroom reporting on tracker numbers and Minerals Commission statements. CitiNewsroom.com
11) Aug – Oct 2025:- Responsible Community Mining & Skills Development Programme (rCOMSDEP)
- Measure: Government launched the Responsible Cooperative Mining and Skills Development Programme to promote responsible cooperative mining, provide vocational/entrepreneurship training for youth/women in mining communities. (isd.gov.gh)
- Responsible: MLNR, FC. MoFA
- Status (Oct 2025 snapshot): Community engagements underway in Western Region; pilot cooperatives being set up; full scale-up needed.
- Official source / link: https://isd.gov.gh/government-launches-responsible-cooperative-mining-and-skills-development-programme/ (isd.gov.gh)
12) Oct 2025:- Repeal of Legislative Instrument 2462 (L.I. 2462)
- Measure: The government announced its intention to revoke Legislative Instrument 2462 (which permitted mining in forest reserves) to eliminate a regulatory loophole. (Modern Ghana)
- Responsible: AG,MLNR
- Status (Oct 2025 snapshot): AG’s Office has been asked to revoke; parliamentary process pending. Until repeal, enforcement complexity remains
- Official source / link: https://www.gbcghanaonline.com/general/revoke-minister-2462/2025/ (GBC Ghana Online)
13) ) Oct 2025:- Prosecution of Illegal Miners
- Measure: Arrests of illegal miners have been undertaken; the government disclosed that the Attorney‑General’s Office is prosecuting hundreds of cases of illegal mining. (3News)
- Responsible: AG,MLNR, NAIMOS task teams
- Status (Oct 2025 snapshot): Large number of arrests; however conviction rates are still low and many cases remain in docket. (CitiNewsroom.com)
- Official source / link: https://3news.com/news/1500-illegal-miners-arrested-a-g-working-on-prosecutions-lands-ministry (3News)
14) Sept – Oct 2025:- De-chemicalisation of polluted water bodies (“Blue Water Initiative”)
- Measure: Under the Blue Water Initiative the government announced a phase to de-chemicalise polluted rivers and water bodies (removal of mercury/contaminants) as part of the anti-galamsey environmental response. (MyJoyOnline)
- Responsible: EPA, MLNR
- Status (Oct 2025 snapshot): Feasibility studies underway; training of “Blue Water Guards” underway; large scale remediation yet to be achieved
- Official source / link: https://www.myjoyonline.com/blue-water-initiative-to-focus-on-de-chemicalising-rivers-lands-minister/ (MyJoyOnline)
WHAT HAS BEEN THE OVERALL IMPACT: THE POSITIVE EFFECTS OBSERVED SO FAR
- Disruption of illegal operations. Coordinated raids, seizures of excavators and arrests have reduced visible illegal mining activity in many hotspot locations and interrupted some smuggling/value-chain channels.
- Improved coordination and institutional architecture. Establishment of NAIMOS, operationalization of GoldBod and clearer multi-agency roles has reduced fragmentation and made joint actions more frequent and visible.
- Beginning of market controls and traceability. GoldBod and Ministry actions are beginning to restrict buyers and create traceability, which reduces incentives to sell illegally mined gold.
- Technology use increasing. Excavator trackers, geo-fencing and control rooms are being rolled out improving the ability to detect machines operating in protected areas.
- Environmental remediation started. Reforestation and river-protection pilots (Tree for Life / Blue Water) have begun in some affected areas.
- Capacity building & accountability steps. Training of enforcement personnel and announcements of ID/oversight mechanisms show attention to professionalizing anti-galamsey efforts.
NET EFFECT: visible short-term reduction in high-impact, large-scale illegal mining activities and stronger central control, but not yet a durable structural solution, because many drivers and leakages remain.
WHAT HAS BEEN THE MAIN GAPS AND RISKS (WHAT’S MISSING OR FRAGILE)
- Displacement, not elimination. Crackdowns often push miners to new locations or deeper into forests/rivers (the classic whack-a-mole problem) because alternatives for livelihoods are weak.
- Incomplete coverage of traceability/technology. Trackers and geo-fencing cover a growing share of excavators but not all machines or artisanal tools; many small actors remain outside the monitoring net.
- Weak local governance & corruption risk. Licensing irregularities, complaints about officials/chiefs implicated, and inconsistent enforcement at district level create openings for illegal activity to resume.
- Market loopholes & smuggling networks. Traceability and GoldBod progress exist but buyers, smugglers and export channels adapt quickly; enforcement against the market is still partial.
- Limited rehabilitation capacity and funding. Reclamation and reforestation pilots are good but underfunded relative to the scale of landscape damage; long-term restoration plans are not yet fully financed or staffed.
- Social and economic costs on communities. Mass arrests, equipment seizures and sudden revocations without alternative-livelihood packages can increase poverty, fuel resistance, and undermine legitimacy.
- Judicial & prosecutorial bottlenecks. Arrests are useful, but prosecutions, convictions, asset forfeiture and sustained deterrence have limited throughput.
- Data, transparency & M&E gaps. Public, consistent datasets on arrests, prosecutions, excavator location histories, land restored and community livelihoods are patchy, making it hard to measure real progress.
- Environmental health responses insufficient. Mercury use, sedimentation and water contamination require dedicated health and remediation programmes that are still limited.
- Citizen trust & human-rights concerns. Reports of impostors and abusive enforcement undermine trust; oversight/ID systems are only partially in place.
WHAT ARE THE PRIORITY AREAS FOR IMPROVEMENT (RECOMMENDED, RANKED)
IMMEDIATE (0–6 MONTHS):- STABILIZE GAINS & REDUCE HARM
- Scale up transparent tracker coverage for all excavators and key machinery.
- Action: Mandate trackers for any excavator to be activated; publish weekly dashboard of tracker coverage by region.
- Lead: Minerals Commission + MLNR + Customs/Ports.
- KPI: % of registered excavators fitted & active trackers (target: 95% fitted within 6 months).
- Introduce fast, visible oversight & ID system for enforcement teams.
- Action: Issue tamper-proof IDs, publicise chain of command, establish 24/7 public complaints hotline.
- Lead: NAIMOS + Interior Ministry.
- KPI: # of complaints resolved within 14 days; % of operations accompanied by public oversight officer.
- Immediate cash + technical support package for vulnerable communities.
- Action: Short emergency cash-for-work + sanitation & river-cleaning programs to reduce immediate economic push into galamsey.
- Lead: Ministry of Finance + MLNR + District Assemblies + NGOs.
- KPI: # of households reached; change in local reported engagement in illegal mining (survey).
- Protect water bodies with temporary buffer zones enforced by trackers & checkpoints.
- Action: Publish map of no-go buffers and prosecute deliberate breaches.
- Lead: MLNR + Forestry Commission + Police.
- KPI: # of breaches detected vs prosecuted; water quality index at sentinel sites.
MEDIUM (6–24 MONTHS):- CLOSE STRUCTURAL GAPS
- Full operationalization of GoldBod traceability + strict buyer licensing.
- Action: Electronic ledger from mine → buyer → refiner; revoke buyer licenses for non-compliance.
- Lead: GoldBod + MOF + GRA.
- KPI: % of gold recorded in the traceability system; # of buyer licences revoked for violations.
- Strengthen local governance & anti-corruption controls in license issuance.
- Action: Digital, auditable licence registry; public disclosure of licence approvals and rationale. Decentralised oversight committees including civil society.
- Lead: MLNR + Office of the Auditor-General + CSOs.
- KPI: Time to licence decision; public availability of licence documents; # of irregular licences reversed.
- Scale community alternative livelihoods (ALS) with measurable impact.
- Action: Roll out vocational training, microgrants, agroforestry & market linkages in hotspot districts. Use conditional cash transfers tied to restoration work.
- Lead: Ministry of Employment + District Assemblies + NGOs + donors.
- KPI: # beneficiaries employed in alternative livelihoods after 12 months; % reduction in households engaged in illegal mining.
- Fast-track judicial action & asset recovery.
- Action: Special prosecutors/fast-track courts for galamsey cases; seize and repurpose equipment for reclamation or community projects after due process.
- Lead: Attorney-General’s Office + Judiciary + Police.
- KPI: Case clearance rate; % of seized assets processed within 3 months.
- Scale remediation financing & technical capacity.
- Action: National Reclamation Fund (public + donor + polluter pays) and regional reclamation units with targets for hectares restored annually.
- Lead: MLNR + Environmental Protection Agency + Ministry of Finance.
- KPI: Hectares rehabilitated/year; number of high-priority river basins restored.
LONG TERM (2–4 YEARS):- SUSTAIN TRANSFORMATION
- Comprehensive rural development & formalisation of ASM (artisanal & small-scale mining).
- Action: Formalise ASM with environmentally safe techniques, licensing, mercury reduction programs, and access to finance for legit operators.
- Lead: MLNR + Ministry of Mines + Development partners.
- KPI: % of ASM operations formalised; measured mercury load in rivers reduced by target %.
- National monitoring & transparency portal (open data).
- Action: Public dashboard with licences, tracker heatmaps, prosecution metrics, rehabilitation progress, and budget allocations.
- Lead: NAIMOS + Office of the President + OpenGov partners.
- KPI: Portal live and updated weekly; monthly user downloads / citations.
- Economic alternatives & land-use planning.
- Action: Incentivise sustainable agriculture, timber value chains and eco-enterprises in former mining landscapes; integrate mining risk into national land-use planning.
- Lead: Ministry of Food and Agriculture + MLNR + District Assemblies.
- KPI: % land under sustainable land-use compared to baseline.
CROSS-CUTTING ENABLERS (THINGS THAT INCREASE SUCCESS OF ALL MEASURES)
- Data & monitoring: standardised indicators, independent audits and third-party verification.
- Community participation: involve chiefs, women’s groups and miners in co-design; compensation schemes that avoid perverse incentives.
- Gender & youth focus: target alternative livelihood packages for youth (high risk group) and include women in formalised value chains.
- Transparency & communications: weekly public briefings and an open complaints mechanism to maintain legitimacy.
- Donor coordination & financing: a pooled fund for remediation, livelihoods and traceability tech to avoid fragmentation.
QUICK SUGGESTED DASHBOARD (MINIMUM SET OF INDICATORS TO TRACK EACH MONTH)
- Excavator trackers active / total registered excavators (%)
- Number of raids / arrests / prosecutions (and conviction rate)
- Hectares under reclamation this month / cumulative
- Volume of gold recorded in traceability system (%)
- of alternative livelihood beneficiaries / % employed after 12 months
- Complaints against enforcement teams and resolution rate
- Water quality index in 10 sentinel rivers (trend)
- Value of assets seized and disposition status
Prepared by: Kwadwo Kyei Yamoah, in partnership with HELP Foundation Africa Policy and Research Support Desk
