Commentary on Illegal Mining in Ghana

Fellow Ghanaians. My name is Samuel Kwaku Bonsu, Rector of the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA).

GIMPA’s mandate includes contributing to policy issues/debates and matters of national interest.

We have commented on matters affecting national development over the past 64 years and committed resources to supporting policy formulation for addressing specific challenges.

I dove my hat off to our forebearers, who if for nothing at all, kept the fire burning on some pressing national issues in the past.

I follow in this tradition to comment on a contemporary issue that threatens our nation’s very existence – GalamseyIllegal mining, popularly known as galamsey, has become one of Ghana’s most pressing challenges.

This unregulated activity has led to massive deforestation, pollution of vital water bodies and the destruction of farmlands.

Heavy use

It has polarised our politics and pitched brother/sister against brother (sister).

The heavy use of mercury and cyanide in gold extraction has created serious health hazards. Indeed, galamsey has led to numerous fatalities in Ghana over the past decade.

While exact figures are challenging to ascertain, available data indicate a significant loss of lives.

Earlier this year (January 2025) a clash between soldiers and illegal miners claimed the lives of 7 people.

The risk of death is not among only those who engage in illegal mining.

Several incidents last year (2024) alone, including the death of two-and-a-half-year-old twins who fell into an abandoned galamsey pit, highlight the dangers posed by galamsey to innocent ones.

As a nation, we need a united front to arrest this escalating disaster.

GIMPA has long recognized the importance of mining to Ghana and the menace that illegal mining poses to us as a nation.

Many at GIMPA have spoken on the issue, always pointing to the need for relevant stakeholders to take action.

A major factor driving galamsey seems to be the lack of alternative economic opportunities in mining communities.

Corruption and weak enforcement of mining regulations have also enabled illegal miners to operate with impunity.

The problem persists partly because it is fueled by the involvement of influential figures who profit from the destruction of our environment and our country.

To the politicians, business leaders, community leaders and financiers behind galamsey, Ghana is watching.

Our rivers are polluted, our forests destroyed, and our people suffering – all because of your greed.

Your profit seeking in the short term is robbing future generations of their land, wealth, health, and opportunities.

At this rate of destruction by galamsey, soon, there will be no Ghana for you to lead.

Leadership is about service, not exploitation.

True leaders protect their people and build sustainable economies, not ones based on destruction.

The time has come to choose Ghana over greed.

Invest in legal enterprises that will uplift our nation and create jobs for our young people.

Support policies that create jobs without destroying our environment.

Young People

Dear Young People of Ghana, Galamsey may seem like a quick way to make money, but it is destroying our land, poisoning our water, and putting your health and life at risk.

The forests that should protect us from climate change are disappearing, and farmlands that could feed generations are being destroyed.

You are the ones doing all the hard lifting in galamsey while the “big men and women” enjoy the toils of your labour – you face the risk of health problems and even death.

You have the power to build a future where you can thrive without harming the environment.

You can take your destiny into your own hands without breaking any laws or serving wealthy masters at your peril and the perils of generations to come.

There are several alternative livelihoods in agriculture, vocational training, and entrepreneurship – opportunities that can sustain you and your family for a lifetime, not just a moment.

Pause for effect

About a year ago, I was watching a documentary on TV where a young illegal miner was being interviewed.

When the interviewer raised the prospects of no potable water for drinking and domestic uses in the near future due to galamsey, the miner said something along the lines of “with the money we make from galamsey, we will buy imported water.”

This is really a sad commentary on the state of desperation and ignorance regarding the impact of galamsey on our health, environment and economy, among others.

In the future.

Water could be so scarce that each country would keep her water for their citizens.

Meaning that all the money from galamsey may not be enough to import water.

You may say all these are pure speculation and even if it will happen, it will be well after your time.

Well, that time of water shortage is NOW.

You may have heard about water shortages in certain areas of Ghana due to galamsey.

The environmental destruction and its effects are real, and we are experiencing them now.

My point is this: what value is your gold if you are not healthy enough to enjoy the money?

God bless our homeland Ghana and make our Nation Great and strong.