The Coalition Against Galamsey (CAG) has urged the National Petroleum Authority (NPA) to stop the supply of fuel to illegal mining sites.
The group believes that cutting off diesel supply will help reduce galamsey activities across the country.
The group of civil society organisations shared this concern in a petition dated April 18, 2026.
The group addressed the petition to the NPA Chief Executive, Edudzi Tamakloe.
Members of the coalition explained that illegal mining continues because operators have steady access to fuel, which powers excavators used to destroy forests and pollute 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.
The group said thousands of excavators still operate in mining areas despite government restrictions on their importation.
It estimated that about 7,000 untracked machines remain active, largely because operators can easily access fuel.
The petition described diesel as the “lifeblood” of illegal mining. The coalition stressed that without fuel, many of these operations would slow down or stop completely.
The coalition, led by convenor Kenneth Ashigbey, also raised concerns about the high number of fuel stations in mining communities.
It noted that some remote areas have more fuel stations than major cities like Accra and Tema.
“It is evident that these stations exist primarily to service illegal mining,” the petition said. The group added that some Oil Marketing Companies fail to properly apply Know Your Customer (KYC) rules when selling fuel in large quantities.
The coalition also referred to the Minerals and Mining Act, 2006, as amended by Act 995.
It pointed out that the law punishes people who support illegal mining. It warned that offenders could face up to 25 years in prison.
The group is now calling on the NPA to act quickly.
It wants the authority to audit fuel sales in mining areas, withdraw licences from companies that break the rules, and enforce stricter KYC checks.
It also urged stronger cooperation with security agencies to monitor fuel distribution.
In addition, the coalition wants authorities to prosecute company directors involved in these activities and apply environmental laws more strictly.
“We cannot allow the environment to be murdered for profit,” the group said. “While we support legal, registered small-scale mining, we must starve illegal miners of the one resource they cannot do without, fuel.”
The coalition sent copies of the petition to President John Mahama, as well as the Ministers responsible for Energy and Lands.
It also shared the document with several organisations, including A Rocha Ghana, the Media Coalition Against Galamsey, the Ghana Institution of Engineering, and the University Teachers Association of Ghana.
The group believes that targeting fuel supply chains will greatly weaken illegal mining activities. It emphasised this point by stating, “If we cut the fuel, we cut the lifeline. If we cut the lifeline, we save Ghana.”
