Illegal Taskforce Team Threatening Government’s Effort To Regulate Mining.

The timely intervention of the Lands Minister, Hon Armah Kofi Buah averted what could have been a bloodbath between some illegal persons claiming to be government taskforce and the real National Taskforce team at the Western Region.

Narrating the incident, a source said the National Anti-Galamsey Taskforce after hearing that some persons were operating as a parallel group to theirs decided to vent their spleen on them

However, the source said the Minister upon hearing of the incident placed a phone call, a timely one that helped the two parties to call off the near brawl.

Details:
According to our source, the illegal taskforce, have been reportedly formed by some self seeking but influential individuals in the country.

This illegal team, the source said has been threatening the efforts of the government to clamp down on illegal mining activities in the country.

Corroborating this, an informant said the illegal task force members has been spotted at various mining sites across Ghana 🇬🇭.

The source said that the team has been operating in some towns including Prestea, where they allegedly seized and burnt 60 excavators showing no warrant to do so.

Additional Information:
Another person narrated a similar situation in the Ashanti Region where these illegal persons were involved in the burning of some confiscated excavators.

Our sources indicated that in some instances, this illegal taskforce members portray themselves as members of the National Anti- Galamsey Taskforce, adding that they carry out some extortions of money from licensed miners after threatening them.

Background:
The government of the NDC upon assumption of the reins of government in 2025, set up the National Anti-Galamsey Taskforce to tackle the menace of illegal mining.

However, the government’s efforts are being undermined by the activities of this parallel taskforce.

While the government’s sanctioned taskforce is working to regulate the mining industry and ensure that mining activities are carried out in a responsible and sustainable manner, the parallel group are doing the opposite.

Some affected miners who spoke to this reporter expressed their disappointment and frustration over the approach of the illegal taskforce.

They noted that the activities of the illegal taskforce team was causing more harm than good.

Some of the miners appealed to the government to take immediate action to prevent the operations of this illegal group.

They said government’s failure to nip this in the bud would lead to damaging their legitimate businesses including undermining the state’s efforts.

Exclusive Information:
Meanwhile checks at the Presidency seem to suggest the Lands Minister and the President John Dramani Mahama have no knowledge about those involved in the setting up of this parallel taskforce.

Currently, legitimate small-scale mining companies that have been affected by the activities of the illegal taskforce are calling on the government to intervene and protect their interests.

Some of the companies argue that the actions of this illegal group are not only damaging to their businesses but also undermining the government’s efforts to regulate the mining industry.

Other Concerns:
From the foregoing, the activities of the illegal taskforce is raising concerns about the safety and security of miners and their equipment.

Additionally, the burning of machines and seizure of property are not only causing financial losses but also putting lives at risk.

From our checks, within a space of one week, the country has witnessed two separate press conferences by the National Concerned Small Scale Miners Association of Ghana (NCSSMA) and the Ghana National Association of Small Scale Miners (GNASSM), expressing their displeasure over the operations of the parallel anti-illegal taskforce.

GNASSM:
Members of the Ghana National Association of Small Scale Miners believe that if the unlawful approach of the illegal taskforce continues, the Goldbold initiative launched by the government will be affected drastically.

According to the group, the activities of the illegal group will undermine the government’s efforts to promote responsible mining practices.

NCSSMA:
On his part, President of the National Concerned Small Scale Miners Association, Mr. Kwadwo Peprah, has expressed worry about the approach of the taskforce in dealing with the unauthorized group.

He questioned the actions of the taskforce and called for government intervention.

Commendation:
Meanwhile, President John Mahama and the Lands Minister, Armah Kofi Buah have been commended by the registered mining groups for setting up the taskforce.

However, the groups have urged the President and Minister to take immediate action to disband the rogue taskforce to ensure that the legitimate mining industry is protected.

Some of the affected miners are also calling on the government to take decisive actions to address the situation and prevent further chaos.

“The activities of the illegal taskforce are having a significant impact on the mining industry, causing financial losses and undermining the government’s efforts to regulate the sector. The government needs to take immediate action to address the situation and ensure that the mining industry operates in a safe and responsible manner” an industry player has said.

Another miner rallied the government to take immediate action to address the situation and prevent further chaos.

The miners believe that the government needs to take decisive action to disband this illegal taskforce and protect the interests of legitimate miners.