Ghana’s fight against illegal mining, popularly known as galamsey, has received a significant institutional boost with the Judiciary’s decision to establish dedicated High Courts to handle cases linked to the menace.
The move, announced by Supreme Court Justice Gabriel Scott Puamang, signals a stronger and more coordinated legal response to an activity that has devastated the country’s environment and drained state resources for years.
Justice Puamang disclosed the development on Wednesday, December 17, while addressing participants at the Annual Chief Justice’s Mentoring Programme in Accra. The programme, which targets Senior High School students, is aimed at nurturing justice-centred values, stimulating interest in judicial careers, and preparing a new generation of citizens to serve as custodians of the law.
Speaking on the theme “Advocating Greener, Sustainable Justice: The Environment and Justice,” Justice Puamang said the Judiciary had earmarked three High Courts to deal exclusively with illegal mining cases, particularly those arising from the operations of the National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS). According to him, the specialised courts are expected to become operational early next year.
He explained that under the leadership of Chief Justice Paul Baffoe-Bonnie, three High Court judges have already been assigned to the initiative, with their respective courtrooms currently undergoing refurbishment.
Once completed, the courts will focus solely on NAIMOS-related cases and other state matters connected to illegal mining. This, he said, is intended to fast-track prosecutions, reduce case backlogs, and ensure that offenders are dealt with decisively under the law.
Justice Puamang noted that illegal mining cases often suffer delays due to congestion in the regular court system, a situation that undermines accountability and weakens public confidence in enforcement efforts.
The establishment of dedicated courts, he stressed, is part of a broader judicial resolve to confront the galamsey menace head-on and align justice delivery with environmental protection.
Beyond criminal accountability, the Supreme Court Justice indicated that the initiative would also support the recovery of state assets lost through unlawful mining activities.
He said the Judiciary recognises that galamsey is not only an environmental crime but also an economic one, with significant implications for national development, water security, and public health.
The announcement was reinforced by strong signals from the executive arm of government. The Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Emmanuel Armah Kofi Buah, who was also present at the event, reaffirmed the Mahama administration’s commitment to clamping down on illegal mining across the country.
He described galamsey as a direct threat to Ghana’s forests, water bodies, and agricultural livelihoods, insisting that the government would not relent in its efforts to dismantle illegal mining networks.
Hon. Buah revealed that ongoing efforts to track imported earth-moving machinery have yielded concrete results. According to him, more than 1,000 excavators linked to illegal mining activities have been seized and are currently in the custody of the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources.
He said the tracking system has made it increasingly difficult for operators to divert heavy-duty equipment into illegal mining sites without detection. Both Justice Puamang and the Lands Minister emphasised that defeating galamsey requires a coordinated response between the Judiciary and the Executive.
While enforcement agencies may arrest offenders and seize equipment, they stressed that sustainable success ultimately depends on swift, fair, and consistent prosecution through the courts.
Justice Puamang used the occasion to encourage the young participants at the mentoring programme to see environmental justice as an essential part of national development. He said the Judiciary’s role extends beyond resolving disputes to safeguarding collective resources for future generations, adding that young people have a responsibility to uphold the rule of law and demand accountability from both leaders and institutions.
The establishment of dedicated courts is widely seen as a turning point in Ghana’s long-running battle against illegal mining. For years, critics have argued that weak prosecutions and slow judicial processes have allowed offenders to evade punishment, emboldening others to engage in the illegal activity. By ring-fencing courts and judges specifically for galamsey cases, the Judiciary appears determined to close that gap.
As the specialised courts prepare to become operational, expectations are high that the initiative will strengthen deterrence, restore public confidence, and complement ongoing enforcement efforts on the ground.
With the Judiciary and the Executive projecting a united front, Ghana’s campaign to protect its environment from illegal mining may be entering a more decisive phase.
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