Special courts to fight galamsey in the offing

The government plans to establish special courts to expedite the prosecution of illegal miners, commonly known as galamsey operators.

The Lands and Natural Resources Ministry is collaborating with the Attorney-General and the judiciary to finalize the setup. Minister Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah confirmed this to Daily Graphic, emphasizing the need for swift justice.

Stakeholders, including Forestry Commission CEO Dr. Hugh Brown, A Rocha Ghana’s Daryl Bosu, and Media Coalition against Galamsey’s Dr. Kenneth Ashigbey, support the move, citing weak prosecution as a major setback in fighting illegal mining.

Data shows only 20 out of 845 arrested individuals have been prosecuted.

Dr. Ashigbey advocates for 24-hour courts, while Dr. Brown calls for judicial capacity-building to enhance environmental crime prosecution.