The issue of galamsey (illegal mining) in Ghana escalated commercially following the influx of Chinese immigrants in 2014. The implementation of advanced machinery, including chanfans and excavators, transformed small-scale mining operations, enhancing the industry’s profitability.
This garnered substantial investments from politicians who anticipated rapid returns. Before this, Ghanaians engaged in small-scale mining without experiencing significant environmental degradation. The fundamental problem resides not in the magnitude of mining but in the unregulated illegal operations that flourish, frequently reliant on chance and opportunity.
The government’s efforts to legalize these activities have been obstructed by intricate, bureaucratic licensing procedures, compelling numerous miners to function illegally.
A primary factor contributing to galamsey is the intricate licensing procedure for small-scale miners. Bureaucratic obstacles frequently dissuade lawful operations, compelling miners to engage in illicit activities.
The surge of investment, especially from politicians and affluent individuals, has intensified environmental degradation, transforming a potential economic asset into a possible national security risk. Notwithstanding its economic contributions, the unregulated nature of galamsey presents significant risks, eliciting demands for a resolution.
In 2020, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo initiated measures to combat illegal mining. His initiative encountered significant opposition, both from within his party and from the National Democratic Congress (NDC).
Professor Frimpong Boateng, the former Minister of Environment and Natural Resources, alleged that politicians are significantly entrenched in the illegal mining sector, thereby exacerbating the struggle against it. The vanishing of 50 excavators and other manifestations of resistance merely highlighted the magnitude of the issue.
The political ramifications have exacerbated the issue. The opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) leveraged the ruling party’s anti-galamsey position during the 2020 election, securing votes in critical mining areas. In the struggle against galamsey, the NDC exploited the circumstances to solicit votes in mining areas, resulting in considerable setbacks for the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP).
This demonstrates that both principal political parties are complicit in the inability to adequately tackle galamsey.
The recent outcry regarding water body pollution has captured the attention of civil society organizations (CSOs), religious institutions, labor unions, and journalists. In response to escalating frustration, activists, spearheaded by individuals such as Oliver Barker-Vormawor, have mobilized in protest, demanding more robust measures against illegal mining.
Nevertheless, their protests have been tainted by arrests and allegations of hooliganism, which has exacerbated public outrage. Journalists, civil society organizations, and other civic groups have expressed concerns regarding the extensive ramifications of galamsey, especially its effects on food and water security.
Notwithstanding extensive denunciation from civil society organizations, journalists, and religious groups, the discourse surrounding galamsey remains biased. The proposed solutions have predominantly been reactionary, and the unsuccessful government initiative, GALAMSTOP, illustrated that coercion and hasty interventions cannot resolve the problem.
The ineffectiveness of such coercive measures underscores the entrenched nature of the issue, indicating that superficial solutions are futile. A more sophisticated and carefully considered strategy is necessary for Ghana to address its galamsey crisis.
The discourse should be recontextualized not merely as a political issue, but as one that encompasses all stakeholders, including miners. Engaging miners in policy formulation and establishing a framework that promotes legal and formal adherence is imperative.
Organizations, civil society organizations, and individuals must progress beyond demands for the complete elimination of illegal mining. They must instead propose feasible alternatives that involve the miners in the formulation of policy.
A comprehensive solution to the galamsey issue necessitates a model that incorporates miners into the resolution process. Involving them in the decision-making process can lead to the formulation of policies with which they are more likely to comply.
Instead of exacerbating their illegal activities through stringent crackdowns, it is essential to involve them in the future of Ghana’s environment. This collaborative communication can cultivate a national consensus and assist in alleviating the environmental degradation resulting from illegal mining.
The politicization of the galamsey issue requires attention. Both the ruling NPP and opposition NDC have used galamsey as a political tool, which has only worsened the problem. Neutralizing this political dimension is essential for finding a long-term solution.
A non-partisan, cooperative effort that brings together miners, political parties, CSOs, and the government is the only way forward. Only then can Ghana hope to find a lasting solution to galamsey, ensuring that mining is conducted in an environmentally sustainable and economically beneficial manner.
