Court Order Defied as Military Attempts to Reclaim Seized Galamsey Excavators in Aowin

Military moves to retrieve equipment despite legal restraint

A High Court order has been challenged after military personnel reportedly attempted to remove dozens of excavators that were seized from illegal gold miners operating in the Tano Anwia Forest Reserve in Aowin Municipality, Western Region. The equipment was confiscated during a military operation in May 2023 after armed galamsey operators illegally invaded the forest reserve and engaged in extensive mining activities.

Two soldiers from the Ghana Armed Forces Engineering Regiment arrived at the Enchi Municipal Assembly on Friday, 3 July, claiming they had been directed to take custody of the machines for a government development project. However, officials presented them with a High Court injunction issued by Sefwi Wiawso High Court on 26 June, which explicitly prohibits the removal of the equipment until the substantive case is determined in court.

The original military operation, conducted with support from concession holder Clean Jobs Resources Limited, resulted in the arrest of 15 suspects whose criminal case remains pending. The attempted removal marks the latest in a series of efforts to release the excavators to the miners under the pretext of developmental use.

Similar attempts have been reported at other locations holding confiscated mining equipment, including Kumasi, Samreboi and Enchi, prompting fresh concerns about inconsistency in how seized galamsey machinery is being handled across the country.