Only three Chinese nationals jailed for illegal mining offences in six years, prisons data shows
The records show that 163 people were convicted during the six-year period. Ghanaians accounted for 146 of the inmates, while Chinese nationals accounted for three. The remaining inmates were listed as five Burkinabes, four Togolese and two separate entries for Nigerians—one recording three inmates and another recording two.
Only three Chinese nationals were recorded among inmates convicted and serving sentences for illegal mining-related offences in Ghana between 2020 and 2025, compared with 146 Ghanaians, according to official data from the Ghana Prisons Service.
The figures are contained in a response issued by the service on June 4, 2026, following a request for data covering convictions and prison sentences for offences related to illegal mining from January 1, 2020, to December 31, 2025.
The records show that 163 people were convicted during the six-year period. Ghanaians accounted for 146 of the inmates, while Chinese nationals accounted for three. The remaining inmates were listed as five Burkinabes, four Togolese and two separate entries for Nigerians—one recording three inmates and another recording two.
The figures place the number of convicted Ghanaian nationals far above that of every foreign nationality listed in the prisons data.
Convictions were highest in 2022, when 43 people were convicted. That followed 18 convictions in 2020 and 35 in 2021. The number fell to 32 in 2023, 21 in 2024 and 14 in 2025.
The data also show that nearly all the inmates were men. Of the 163 people recorded, 161 were male and two were female.
The largest age group was between 26 and 35, with 70 inmates. Another 53 were aged between 18 and 25, while 26 were between 36 and 45. Eight inmates were aged between 46 and 55, five were between 56 and 65, and one was between 66 and 75.
Most of the inmates received lengthy prison terms. Seventy-two were sentenced to terms above eight years and up to 10 years, while 43 received sentences above 15 years and up to 16 years.
Nine inmates were sentenced to terms above 16 years and up to 20 years, and another nine received sentences exceeding 20 years. Five inmates received terms of less than two years.
The Ghana Prisons Service figures provide a breakdown of people who were convicted and serving sentences during the period. They do not state the total number of people arrested, investigated or prosecuted for illegal mining offences, or provide a year-by-year breakdown of convictions by nationality.
