Anti-galamsey coalition demands action on fuel access to illegal miners

A coalition of civil society organisations is urging the National Petroleum Authority (NPA) to take decisive action by clamping down on fuel supplies to illegal mining operations, arguing that restricting access to diesel could play a critical role in curbing galamsey activities across Ghana.

In a petition dated April 18, 2026, the Coalition Against Galamsey addressed its concerns to the Chief Executive of the NPA, Edudzi Tamakloe. The group emphasized that illegal mining continues to thrive largely because of well-established fuel supply chains that power excavators and other heavy machinery operating in forest reserves and water bodies.

“If we are to save our water bodies, forests, and the health of our people from this ecocide, we must cut the supply lines,” the coalition stated, stressing that access to fuel remains a major enabler of environmental destruction caused by illegal mining.

The coalition noted that despite government interventions, including restrictions on the importation of excavators, illegal mining remains widespread. It estimates that about 7,000 untracked excavators are still actively operating in mining areas. According to the group, the continued availability of diesel is a key factor sustaining these activities.

Describing diesel as the “lifeblood” of illegal mining, the petition argued that cutting off fuel access would significantly weaken operations and reduce the scale of environmental degradation. Without a consistent fuel supply, the coalition believes that many illegal mining activities would grind to a halt.

Led by convenor Kenneth Ashigbey, the group also raised alarm over what it described as an “anomalous density” of fuel stations in galamsey-prone communities. It pointed out that some remote mining areas appear to have more fuel stations per capita than major urban centres such as Accra and Tema.

“It is evident that these stations exist primarily to service illegal mining,” the petition claimed. The coalition further alleged that some Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) are failing to properly enforce Know Your Customer (KYC) requirements when selling fuel in bulk, thereby enabling illegal operators to access large quantities of diesel without adequate oversight.

The group referenced the Minerals and Mining Act, 2006 (Act 703), as amended by Act 995, particularly Section 99(2)(b), which criminalises individuals and entities that facilitate illegal mining activities. It warned that offenders could face prison sentences of up to 25 years if found guilty.

As part of its demands, the coalition is calling for urgent regulatory measures by the NPA. These include conducting data-driven audits of fuel sales in mining hotspots, revoking licences of non-compliant OMCs, enforcing stricter KYC protocols, and strengthening collaboration with security agencies to monitor and track suspicious fuel movements.

Additionally, the coalition is advocating for the prosecution of directors of companies found to be complicit in supplying fuel to illegal miners, as well as increased scrutiny under environmental protection laws.

“We cannot allow the environment to be murdered for profit,” the group stated. “While we support legal, registered small-scale mining, we must starve illegal miners of the one resource they cannot do without — fuel.”

The petition has been copied to John Mahama, as well as key government officials including the Minister of Energy and Green Transition and the Minister of Lands and Natural Resources. It has also been shared with several organisations such as A Rocha Ghana, the Media Coalition Against Galamsey, the Ghana Institution of Engineering, and the University Teachers Association of Ghana.

The coalition maintains that targeting fuel supply networks could significantly disrupt illegal mining operations. “If we cut the fuel, we cut the lifeline. If we cut the lifeline, we save Ghana,” the petition concluded.