Majority Leader and Member of Parliament for Bawku Central, Hon. Mahama Ayariga, has stated emphatically that President John Dramani Mahama’s fight against illegal mining is yielding significant results, insisting that no individual—whether government official, party executive or MP—will be shielded from accountability if found complicit.
Speaking passionately in Parliament, Ayariga described the government’s efforts as “unparalleled,” arguing that the measures put in place over the past months have fundamentally altered the illegal mining landscape.
Hon. Ayariga noted that the Minister responsible for the sector has shown readiness to regularly brief Parliament on the steady progress being made. According to him, substantial steps have been taken to disrupt the operations that previously fuelled massive environmental destruction.
“I can testify that a lot of work is going on. A lot of equipment that would have aggravated the situation has been seized. Excavators seized. It has become next to impossible to import excavators into this country.”
Majority Leader and Member of Parliament for Bawku Central, Hon. Mahama Ayariga
The Majority Leader revealed that even legitimate contractors working on government-approved road projects are facing difficulty securing permission to import excavators, reflecting the government’s heightened vigilance on the machinery most central to large-scale illegal mining.
He explained that while artisanal mining has existed in Ghana since colonial times, the proliferation of excavators—supported by foreign funding and facilitated by political operatives—dramatically escalated the damage seen across the country in recent decades.
“What aggravated and created the vast expanse of excavations across the country… has been the introduction of excavators. The sponsorship that came from our Chinese brothers and sisters and the involvement of party kingpins… trying to get governments to compromise”.
Majority Leader and Member of Parliament for Bawku Central, Hon. Mahama Ayariga
Misleading Claims
Hon. Ayariga insisted that the narrative that illegal mining continues unabated is misleading, as the government has successfully halted the entry of new excavators and confiscated hundreds already in the field. “So, no more excavators coming into the country. Those out there have been arrested, and efforts are ongoing to permanently confiscate them,” he emphasised.
He noted that the most destructive form of galamsey—mechanised mining undertaken with excavators—has sharply declined, and the country no longer sees the expansive scars that were once created through massive digging operations.
However, he acknowledged that artisanal mining persists at a smaller scale, with young people using basic tools such as pickaxes and shovels to search for gold. But he argued that this form of mining does not produce the catastrophic levels of destruction associated with mechanised excavation. “That level of damage is not what we should be so worried about,” he asserted.
Abandoned Pits and Degraded Landscapes
The Majority Leader cautioned against misinterpreting the numerous abandoned pits and degraded landscapes visible across parts of the Eastern and Ashanti Regions.
These, he explained, are not the result of recent activity but are remnants of mining operations that spanned more than a decade before the current intensified enforcement efforts began.
“If you look out the window of an aircraft flying from Accra to Kumasi, you will see vast areas of excavations… But these are not excavations that happened in the last eight months. These are excavations that have happened over the last 12–15 years”.
Majority Leader and Member of Parliament for Bawku Central, Hon. Mahama Ayariga
Hon. Ayariga contrasted the current administration’s approach with what he described as the failures of the past, where reports of involvement by politically connected individuals were ignored and documented wrongdoing went unpunished.
He recalled instances where journalists captured illegal mining operations and implicated senior figures, yet no action followed. In sharp contrast, he argued, today’s government acts swiftly and decisively.
“Any government official found to be aiding and abetting will be arrested. Any party official, no matter how high… if you are caught, the President will not say anything. He will allow the due process of the law to deal with you”.
Majority Leader and Member of Parliament for Bawku Central, Hon. Mahama Ayariga
He cited the recent arrest and arraignment of a sitting Member of Parliament who was alleged to have obstructed enforcement efforts as proof that there are no sacred cows in the ongoing clampdown.
Hon. Ayariga concluded by reiterating his confidence in President Mahama’s commitment, asserting that the name of the President is now consistently mentioned in the galamsey conversation precisely because concrete action has been taken.
“Just bring the evidence and this government will deal with that person ruthlessly,” he said, assuring that the sector minister will continue to update Parliament as often as required.
As the fight against illegal mining continues to shape national debate, the Majority Leader’s remarks underscore the government’s insistence that the tide is turning—and that the era of impunity is over.
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