Ghana’s fight against illegal mining also known among Ghanaians as Galamsey (Gather them and sell) will continue to fail until the right things are done.
There are countless reasons why the Galamsey activities will continue to flourish even with all the campaigns calling on the government to deal with it and continous public outcry against it.
The illegal mining activity has become attractive in the last five years than ever and an end to this environmentally unfriendly extractive business is not in sight.
This illegal mining trade remains a canker that needs to be uprooted. Alas, it continues to thrive. A win over these environmentally unhealthy mining activities would have been worth the death of Major Mahama who lost his life four years ago. However, Ghana does not seem like she is ready to win herself from this yet.
Why Galamsey activities will remain attractive in Ghana
1. Inability of the government to enforce strict laws in protecting lands and water bodies plays a critical role in making the practice more attractive. Ghana’s laws on illegal mining cannot be seen to be bitting enough and our inability as a nation to stamp our authority and punish persons involved in the destruction of these resources boldens wrongdoers.
2. Politicization of the Galamsey fight is another sad reason why this unacceptable means of extracting gold from the land and now from our water bodies cannot be halted. Major political parties have given the national issue different political colourings hence skewed arguments, suggestions and plans are hatched and implemented. These do not in any way help deal with the situation at hand.
3. Lack of adequate training for Galamsey operators on efficient mining and processing methods cannot be ignored as a serious challenge. Galamsey can be done in a more responsible way without destroying the environment. This requires well-planned training programmes and skills development to teach miners how to mine on a small scale, monitoring of their activities and regulating them to ensure the right processes and operational activities before, during and after mining are carried out.
4. Good leadership by traditional authorities such as chiefs and family heads are inadequate or non-existent. In some instances, the heavy involvement of some chiefs in Galamsey operations leaves much to be desired. The question is, who will apply the whip when chiefs and family heads who own lands are giving them out for mining and are themselves involved in the Galamsey activities.
5. Lack of proper alternative livelihoods for Galamsey operators that may want to change Jobs ( Heavy unemployment rate amongst the Youth in Rural Communities). Naturally, one’s geographical location determines the kind of traditional occupations that the youth can engage in. The absence of decent jobs for the youth in mining areas and the government’s neglect to create opportunities for such youths leave them with little or no options other than to engage in Galamsey operations are the peril of their lives, cocoa farms, reiver bodies and the environment at large.
6. Lack of efficient engagement between government, Galamsey operators and major stakeholders in Galamsey Dialogues and plans. Dialogue plays a key role in resolving issues and in instances where decisions by the government to prevent people from earning their daily bread through laws, the people will resist. Engaging Galamsey operators in sincere forward-looking discussions and plans aimed at improving the way they mine among others will help deal with the issue better. But as it stands now, Ghana does not seem to be taking steps that will yield lasting solutions.
7. Lack of binding laws on Galamsey operators (Not Constitutionally recognized ) to enforce operators to reclaim or remediate depleted mined lands. Galamseyers are not regulated in Ghana hence no public institution can enforce environmental laws. The illegal mining activities will therefore continue to harm the nation.
8. Heavy involvement of some politicians and opinion leaders in Galamsey activities creates mistrust. People see leadership as not doing well enough. Political leadership is directly or indirectly benefiting from the illegal mining activity. Party faithfuls and followers are also at the centre of illegal mining operations. Politicians are involved just as their associate hence making the fight even more difficult.
If these challenges can be addressed, Ghana can make a breakthrough from these muddy waters.
Source: Doçtor Kwadwo Ye-large Kintampo |&| Wisdom Kojo Eli Hammond
The Ghana Education News Editorial Team is a specialized collective of education researchers, journalists, and policy analysts dedicated to providing high-fidelity reporting on the Ghanaian academic landscape. Serving as a primary bridge between governing bodies—including the Ghana Education Service (GES) and WAEC—and the public, the team leverages over a decade of combined experience to serve students, parents, and educators nationwide.
Lead Architect & Editor-in-Chief
The team is led by Wisdom Kojo Eli Hammond, a distinguished Ghanaian Edu-Tech Entrepreneur, AI Solutions Developer, and Product Architect with over 25 years of cross-disciplinary experience in education, finance, and digital media. Wisdom is the visionary force behind SkulManager, Ghana’s premier school management ecosystem, and the Lead Consultant at Education-News Consult.
A self-taught innovator, professional Web Designer, and regular columnist on GhanaWeb, Wisdom engineered SkulManager.com as the only platform strictly tailored to the GES Curriculum. His technical leadership has redefined educational assessment through a Hybrid Marking Ecosystem, pioneering the BECE and WASSCE Home Mock services—a unique fusion of WAEC-trained human examiners and advanced AI marking engines operational since 2022.
Wisdom’s 360-degree view of institutional challenges is grounded in his tenure as College President and Lecturer at Pinnacle College (Achimota), as well as his background as a school administrator and accountant. He is a dedicated lifelong learner currently advancing his studies at the Accra Institute of Technology (AIT), with academic ties to the University of Professional Studies, Accra (UPSA).
An accomplished author, his works include Returnees of the Dead Forest (UK Published), Simplified Beacon of Light (850+ Q&A), and The Leader in Me. A foundational pillar of the award-winning NGO Human Rights Reporters Ghana (HRRG), Wisdom is committed to building intelligent systems that solve societal problems and prepare the next generation of Ghanaian students for a digital future.
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