Hon. Sanja Nanja, MP for Atebubu and Amantin, is cautiously optimistic about the government’s fight against illegal mining, citing weak enforcement and lack of political will as major challenges.
Speaking during the 2026 State of the Nation Address debate, Nanja noted that the statistics on Galamsey prosecutions are “sad” and “telling”.
“At thirty-five, that is four percent,” Nanja said, referring to the number of Galamsey suspects prosecuted between 2023-2024.
“In 2023, 218 were arrested and only 24 were prosecuted. In 2024, we have 627 arrested and only 11 were prosecuted. This is a clear indication that we have a long way to go in winning the fight against Galamsey.”
Nanja recalled the previous government’s experience with 500 seized excavators, saying, “We remember the 500 excavators that were seized and these excavators miraculously grew wings and flew away… Up to date, we can’t find them.”
However, he welcomed current measures, including tracking devices, to prevent such incidents. “This time round, the excavators are tiled. The excavators can no longer fly because we have taken measures and the excavators’ tracking devices have been put on the excavators and they are being monitored wherever they go.”
The MP commended recent interceptions of excavators bound for Galamsey areas, citing the example of over 1,000 excavators intercepted at the Tamahabo checkpoint by the EPA. “This is a boost to the Galamsey fight,” he said.
Nanja also welcomed the deployment of specialized prosecutorial teams to fast-track Galamsey cases, saying, “Mister Speaker, if you go to the Galamsey areas, there are hundreds of cases pending at the court. The president and his team have deployed specialized prosecutorial teams to go and fast track these cases. This is a step in the right direction.”
By: Rainbowradioonline.com/Ghana
