The Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, has disclosed that 40 out of over 800 illegal miners have been prosecuted so far for their involvement in illegal mining operations, describing the prosecution rate as inadequate.
Speaking on the floor of Parliament on Wednesday, February 19, Mr Kofi-Buah said, “In the last few years, the numbers for prosecution for illegal mining is not very encouraging. Out of over 800, the people who have been prosecuted were less than 40. So we need to look at that area as well.”
The Minister also reported that 44 out of the 288 forest reserves in the country are under severe threat from illegal mining, resulting in the destruction of over 5,000 hectares of land.
He further stated that nine of these forest reserves are beyond the control of the Forestry Commission, as armed illegal miners have taken over, while Forestry Commission officials lack the necessary weaponry to counter them.