Galamsey Taskforce Accused of Charging GH¢200,000 to Release Seized Mining Machines

A serious accusation has been made against the National Alternative Employment and Livelihood Programme (NAIMOS), the taskforce in charge of fighting illegal mining, also known as galamsey. According to Philip Bawah, the Public Relations Officer of the Progressive Small Scale Miners Association, NAIMOS is charging a whopping GH¢200,000 before releasing mining equipment it has seized. He made this claim in a post that has since been shared widely on social media, and it has sparked a lot of conversation among Ghanaians.

According to Mr. Bawah, instead of using the equipment they seize to fight illegal mining, NAIMOS is allegedly demanding huge sums of money from the owners before giving the machines back. He described this as a way of enriching themselves rather than doing the work they were set up to do. His claim suggests that the taskforce is more interested in making money than in actually stopping galamsey, which is a major problem destroying Ghana’s lands and water bodies.

The allegation is a very serious one because NAIMOS was created to help fight illegal mining and provide alternative livelihoods for people who depend on small-scale mining. If it is true that the taskforce is charging GH¢200,000 to release seized equipment, then it means the fight against galamsey is being undermined from within. Ghanaians have been calling for a tougher stance against illegal mining, and many will be disappointed to hear that the very people meant to protect the environment are being accused of profiting from the problem.

It is important to note that these are allegations, and NAIMOS has not yet responded publicly to the claims made by Mr. Bawah. The association’s PRO has made his position clear, but the taskforce deserves the chance to explain what is happening. Ghanaians will be waiting to hear from NAIMOS and from the government about whether there is any truth to the claims. If the allegations are proven, it would be a big blow to the credibility of the fight against galamsey.

For the ordinary Ghanaian, the simple message is this: a group representing small-scale miners is accusing the galamsey taskforce of charging GH¢200,000 to release seized equipment, and they say the taskforce is enriching itself instead of fighting illegal mining. The government needs to investigate these claims seriously and tell Ghanaians the truth. If the taskforce is indeed doing what it is accused of, then the fight against galamsey needs a serious shake-up, because Ghanaians deserve a clean environment and honest people in charge of protecting it.