 government of issuing mining licenses like candy.){kind=link}
Rosemond Obeng, a Presidential Staffer/Member, NDC Communications Team, has accused the former New Patriotic Party (NPP) government of issuing mining licenses like candy.
The Presidential Staffer emphasised that the NPP has no audacity to say galamsey is worsening under the NDC.
Speaking on GHOne TV, Rosemond Obeng stated, “NPP was issuing mining licences like candy, and they have the audacity to say galamsey is worsening under the NDC?”
In related news, President John Mahama says his administration has not issued a single mining license since taking office.
Speaking at his maiden media encounter on Wednesday, September 10, John Mahama stated, “Let me be clear, since my administration resumed office, not a single license has been issued to any company to mine in our forest reserves.
“The repeal of Li 2462 is, therefore, intended just to crystallise in law what we have already demonstrated in practice, which is our commitment to protect these forest reserves.”
He added, “A dedicated national task force is currently in place, actively combating the menace of illegal mining. As a result of their operations, hundreds of excavators, water pumps and other heavy equipment have been seized, disrupting the networks that have long exploited our lands and our rivers.”
“Nine forest reserves have been successfully recovered from the grip of illegal miners, restoring these vital ecosystems under state protection.”
John Mahama further added, “Our tree for life initiative is being actively rolled out across the country, targeting the restoration of lands degraded by legal mining activities.”
Meanwhile, the National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS) has stormed a notorious galamsey hideout named ‘Gangway’ at Aboso in the Western Region.
According to Felix Kwakye Ofosu, the Minister of Government Communication, the operation was carried out on Monday, October 5, 2025.
In a post on X, he wrote, “The National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS) Task Force has carried out a significant operation in the Western Region, targeting notorious galamsey hideouts.
On Monday, October 5, 2025, the Task Force stormed “Gangway,” a crime-infested community in Aboso, Prestea-Huni Valley District.
-Makeshift Structures Destroyed*: Several makeshift structures serving as hideouts and drug bases were set ablaze, and galamsey equipment was destroyed.
-Hundreds Surrender: Several hundred locals, mostly galamseyers, surrendered to the Task Force. These individuals were involved in various social vices, including illegal mining, trading, and narcotics smoking, as well as gambling.
-Drugs Seized- Eleven parcels of Indian Hemp were seized, alongside other hard drugs.
– Previous Warnings Ignored: This operation follows a similar one in June 2025, where NAIMOS warned criminal gangs and galamseyers to vacate the area. Despite this, the warnings were ignored.
Additional Operations:
While en route to Gangway, the NAIMOS Task Force conducted anti-galamsey operations in the Dadwen-Domping areas of the Tarkwa Nsuaem Municipality. These operations resulted in:
– Seizure of Equipment: 15 water pumping machines and one generator set were seized.
– *Destruction of Equipment*: Three chanfangs were destroyed, and other structures and equipment belonging to illegal miners were set ablaze.
The NAIMOS Task Force remains committed to combating illegal mining and its associated social vices in the region”.
However, some netizens have reacted to the news saying, “Strong move by NAIMOS, but it’ll only matter if it’s followed by sustained enforcement, rehabilitation, and real alternatives for those who surrendered. Otherwise, it’s just another fire that’ll burn out too soon”.
Another netizen wrote, “Boss Felix, something baffles me. So are we saying, upon all these arrests NAIMOS is doing, none of these victims can lead the security to the big men who are sponsoring these acts?”.
One more X user wrote, “Meanwhile, the person who put them there is paying them chop money if ¢50 daily aside their wages is cooling off somewhere in Accra. Next week the foreman will get a new squad to go and continue from where they left off”.
See the post below:
NPP was issuing mining licences like candy, and they have the audacity to say galamsey is worsening under NDC?… – Rosemond Obeng (Presidential Staffer/Member, NDC Communications Team)#GHOneNews #EIBNetwork#GHOneTV #NewsAlert#GHToday pic.twitter.com/LXX7uit5As
— GHOne TV (@ghonetv) October 8, 2025