The Ghana National Association of Small Scale Miners (GNASSM) has firmly denied any association with a man arrested in connection with illegal mining operations in the Ashanti Region.
In an official statement released on July 11, GNASSM clarified that Kojo Peprah, who was apprehended by the Special Anti-Galamsey Taskforce of the Inspector General of Police (IGP), has never been affiliated with the association in any capacity.
Peprah was arrested on July 10, 2025, for allegedly attempting to obstruct an anti-illegal mining operation in the Desiri Forest Reserve.
Following his arrest, several viral media reports linked him to the leadership of a “Small Scale Miners Association,” which many assumed referred to GNASSM.
“We wish to set the record straight: Kojo Peprah is not, and has never been, the President, Chairman, or member of GNASSM,” the statement read.
Signed by the association’s General Secretary, Godwin Nickleson Amarf, the release emphasized that GNASSM has a structured leadership framework comprising national, regional, and district executives, none of whom includes or has ever included Mr. Peprah.
The association reiterated its commitment to responsible and sustainable small-scale mining and emphasized its ongoing collaboration with government and security agencies in combating illegal mining, popularly known as galamsey.
GNASSM urged the media and public to exercise caution and verify facts before disseminating information. “Combating galamsey is a shared national responsibility,” the association emphasized.
