The Government of Ghana is set to intensify its efforts to tackle illegal small-scale mining, commonly known as galamsey, with a renewed focus on protecting the country’s river bodies and forest reserves.
As part of this effort, the ongoing “Operation Halt” initiative, which is led by the Ghana Armed Forces, will be strengthened, and the Small-Scale Miners Association of Ghana will now be actively involved.
In a statement, the Ministry of Information emphasized the government’s resolve: “Government in its continued efforts to clamp down on the long-standing menace of illegal small-scale mining has concluded operational measures to intensify the ongoing ‘Operation Halt,’ which is led by the Ghana Armed Forces, to rid our river bodies of all forms of mining activities.”
Launched in April 2021, Operation Halt II was originally designed to remove illegal miners and mining equipment from Ghana’s water bodies and forest reserves, with a focus on key rivers such as Pra, Offin, Ankobra, Birim, and Ayensu.
The operation also targeted forest reserves, with the goal of decommissioning or demobilizing mining equipment as necessary. Over time, some of these rivers showed signs of recovery, leading to a temporary easing of the operation.
However, illegal mining activities have persisted, prompting the government to relaunch Operation Halt II in 2022. The phase of the operation, according to the government, was designed to be more decisive, with a clear directive given to the Operation Halt II team to take action without external interference.
While Operation Halt II has made some progress, the government acknowledges that illegal mining activities continue to undermine environmental efforts. The inclusion of the Small-Scale Miners Association in this latest phase is expected to bring fresh momentum to the initiative.
“Government reiterates its commitment to the fight against illegal small-scale mining and calls on all stakeholders to join the fight,” the statement read.