Two women convicted of illegal mining between 2020 and 2025
Data available to Dennislaw Research Desk indicates that both female inmates were between the ages of 46 and 65. One was in the 46-to-55 age group, while the other was between 56 and 65.
Only two women were among the 163 people convicted and imprisoned for illegal mining-related offences in Ghana between 2020 and 2025.
The figures show that men accounted for 161 of the convictions, representing about 98.8 per cent of the total, while women accounted for approximately 1.2 per cent.
Data available to Dennislaw Research Desk indicates that both female inmates were between the ages of 46 and 65. One was in the 46-to-55 age group, while the other was between 56 and 65.
No female convictions were recorded among people aged between 18 and 45 or those between 66 and 75.
Overall, people aged between 26 and 35 constituted the largest group, with 70 inmates, all of whom were men. This was followed by the 18-to-25 age group, which comprised 53 male inmates.
A further 26 men were between the ages of 36 and 45. The 46-to-55 age group comprised seven men and one woman, while the 56-to-65 category consisted of four men and one woman.
One male inmate was between the ages of 66 and 75.
The annual figures show that convictions for illegal mining-related offences peaked at 43 in 2022. This was followed by 35 convictions in 2021 and 32 in 2023.
There were 21 convictions in 2024, 18 in 2020 and 14 in 2025.
Illegal mining, widely known as “galamsey”, has developed into a major economic and environmental crisis in Ghana. Driven partly by rising gold prices and limited livelihood opportunities in rural communities, the unauthorised mining activities are estimated to deprive the country of about US$2.3 billion in revenue each year.
Beyond the financial losses, galamsey has destroyed large areas of forest cover and contaminated more than 60 per cent of Ghana’s major river systems with hazardous substances, including mercury and cyanide.
