Amansie South small-scale miners accuse security personnel of harassment, extortion
Members of the Concerned Small-Scale Miners Association in the Amansie South District of the Ashanti Region have accused some security personnel and politically connected individuals of harassment, extortion and the unlawful seizure of mining equipment under the pretext of combating illegal mining.
The miners have also expressed concern over what they describe as persistent harassment by security agencies at their concessions.
Their concerns follow a two-day operation by security personnel at Manso Watreso, Adagya and other communities in the Amansie South District, during which more than seven excavators were seized. The machines were reportedly parked at various locations and were not in operation at the time.
A visit to the affected sites on Saturday, October 17, 2026, revealed that several pieces of equipment belonging to the miners had been destroyed by security personnel.
Speaking on behalf of the affected miners, Philip Kwabena Bawa said they considered the operation an act of harassment because, according to him, they were not mining in forest reserves or river bodies. He called on the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources to intervene.
Mr Bawa, the association’s Head of Operations, alleged that influential individuals were operating unauthorised task forces in the area, targeting small-scale miners for personal gain.
He described the situation as worrying, arguing that the activities of these groups threatened not only mining operations but also fundamental human rights and the country’s anti-corruption efforts.
“Intimidation and alleged extortion of small-scale miners by some elements within law enforcement agencies, especially the police and National Security, as well as politically exposed persons who operate their own task forces for selfish interests, remain a serious concern,” Mr Bawa said.
He further alleged that the unauthorised operations had resulted in the unlawful confiscation of excavators and other machinery belonging to licensed mining operators.
According to him, some security personnel, allegedly acting under the influence or protection of powerful political figures, storm mining sites to demand illegal payments and, in some instances, forcibly drive miners from concessions they are legally authorised to operate.
Mr Bawa warned that the alleged actions were affecting livelihoods and threatening efforts to formalise the small-scale mining sector, which provides employment for thousands of people and contributes significantly to the local economy.
He stressed that the sector had considerable socio-economic potential if properly regulated, citing its capacity to create jobs, supply raw gold for value addition and strengthen upstream, midstream and downstream linkages within the local economy.
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