The Ghana Coalition Against Galamsey (GCAG) is calling on the National Petroleum Authority (NPA) to urgently tighten regulations to stop the supply of fuel to illegal mining activities nationwide.
In a petition submitted on Saturday, April 18 to the Chief Executive of the NPA, Edudzi Tamakloe Esq., the coalition proposed a series of interventions aimed at disrupting what it describes as the main fuel source sustaining galamsey operations.
Central to its demands is a call for the NPA to carry out data-based audits of fuel distribution, particularly in mining-prone areas. The group wants the Authority to identify filling stations recording unusually high fuel sales compared to the number of registered vehicles in those locations, with the findings made public.
The coalition further wants Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) found to be supplying fuel to illegal miners to have their licences revoked. It is also demanding that directors of such companies be permanently barred from operating in the downstream petroleum sector and handed over to the Attorney-General for prosecution.
“We demand that the National Petroleum Authority (NPA) exercises its regulatory power to cut off the ‘lifeblood’ of illegal mining operations by implementing the following immediate actions: Conduct Data-Driven Audits to Identify Anomalies… Revoke Licenses of Non-Compliant OMCs… Ban and Prosecute Complicit Directors,” the petition stated.
The group is also advocating for strict enforcement of Know Your Customer (KYC) requirements, compelling fuel retailers to verify the identity and legitimacy of bulk fuel buyers, especially those purchasing diesel in large containers.
In addition, GCAG is urging closer collaboration between the NPA and security agencies to intercept fuel supplies suspected of being diverted to galamsey sites.
It also wants stronger application of environmental laws to ensure that individuals and companies involved in facilitating illegal mining through fuel supply face prosecution.
According to the coalition, cutting off fuel access is one of the most effective strategies to curb illegal mining, stressing the need for swift and decisive regulatory action to protect the environment.
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