Philip Bawah (middle) addressing the media
The ABA Progressive Small Scale Miners Association of Ghana has accused some security personnel of turning the fight against illegal mining into a money-making venture at the expense of legitimate mining businesses and the livelihoods of ordinary Ghanaians.
The association alleged that some military personnel, police officers and other security operatives were exploiting anti-illegal mining operations to harass, intimidate and extort licensed small-scale miners, warning that the situation was threatening businesses and thousands of livelihoods across the country.
The miners, who claimed that some of their members had allegedly been forced to pay as much as GH¢2.5 million to avoid disruptions to their operations, have consequently given President John Dramani Mahama’s government a two-week ultimatum to address their concerns.
They threatened to embark on a nationwide demonstration and suspend mining operations across the country for two months if the government failed to respond within the stipulated period.
At a press conference dubbed “Emu Yeya” (It Is Very Painful), held at Manso Datano in the Amansie West District of the Ashanti Region on Tuesday, November 10, 2026, the association called for urgent government intervention to end what it described as the unfair targeting of licensed small-scale miners.
The statement, read by the association’s spokesperson, Philip Bawah, stressed that the miners were not opposed to the government’s campaign against illegal mining but would not accept a situation where legitimate operators were allegedly subjected to extortion and intimidation by security personnel.
According to the association, some of the alleged extortion activities involved security personnel who reportedly visited mining sites in unregistered vehicles to avoid being traced.
It claimed that some affected members had evidence, including mobile money (MoMo) transaction records, to support their allegations.
NAIMOS Operations
The miners also expressed concern about the activities of the National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS) and other security taskforces.
They accused some operatives of failing to distinguish between licensed and unlicensed miners before undertaking enforcement operations.
The association insisted that possessing a mining licence did not exempt operators from complying with environmental and mining regulations but entitled them to fair treatment and due process.
It also raised concerns about what it described as a shoot-to-kill approach in the anti-illegal mining campaign, demanding clarity on the rules governing the use of lethal force during security operations.
Demands
The association called for a temporary suspension of security operations targeting small-scale mining communities to allow for meaningful engagement between government and licensed miners.
It proposed the establishment of a joint taskforce spearheaded by the Minerals Commission and the Environmental Protection Authority to coordinate enforcement operations and prevent the indiscriminate targeting of legitimate operators.
The miners also demanded a review of GoldBod’s gold pricing formula to ensure that licensed operators received fair value for their produce.
The association demanded an independent investigation into allegations of extortion, intimidation, harassment, destruction of mining equipment and abuse of office involving some security personnel.
Mahama, Security Authorities Petitioned
The miners appealed to President Mahama to personally intervene and direct an independent investigation into the allegations.
They also called on the Chief of Staff to facilitate an urgent meeting between government and the association’s leadership.
The Ministers for Lands and Natural Resources, Defence and the Interior, together with the Chief of Defence Staff and the Inspector-General of Police, were urged to investigate the alleged misconduct and ensure that officers found culpable were sanctioned.
The association also appealed to Human Rights International and other relevant human rights organisations to investigate reported abuses against its members.
Two-Week Deadline
The association warned that failure by the government to initiate concrete action within two weeks would compel its members to stage a nationwide demonstration.
It further threatened a two-month suspension of mining operations across the country, warning that such action could affect thousands of people whose livelihoods depended directly and indirectly on the industry.
“We are not against regulation. We are not against law enforcement. We are not against the fight against illegal mining. We are against harassment, intimidation, extortion, abuse of authority and the unfair targeting of licensed small-scale miners,” the statement declared.
It added that the fight against illegal mining must not become a money-making venture for some security personnel at the expense of legitimate businesses and the livelihoods of ordinary Ghanaians.
FROM David Afum, Manso Datano