Introduction
Illegal mining practice known locally as galamsey has emerged as one of the most pressing threats to the nation’s future. What began as small-scale mining by a small segment of society without access to jobs and opportunities has spiraled into a destructive and unregulated industry with far-reaching consequences. From poisoned rivers and destroyed forests, the country is witnessing the inability of public institutions to deal with the menace. Indeed, weakened institutions and public health crises now show that the galamsey phenomenon poses an existential threat to Ghana’s environmental integrity, economic sustainability, and national governance.
This article, a follow up to previous ones, explores the core challenges posed by galamsey, unpacks its multidimensional impacts, and outlines potential pathways toward sustainable solutions.
The Environmental Emergency
At the heart of the galamsey crisis lies environmental devastation on a massive scale. Illegal mining operations, often using crude and hazardous techniques, have left scars across some of Ghana’s most vital ecological zones. Rivers such as the Pra, Offin, and Ankobra—once lifelines for communities and agriculture—have turned into toxic channels laden with mercury, cyanide, and heavy sedimentation. These chemicals not only kill aquatic life but also pose severe risks to human health, (due mainly to bioaccumulation), especially for communities relying on river water for drinking and irrigation. The recent case of the River Ayensu is particularly concerning. Coursing through several communities including Mankrong, Kwanyarko, Agona Swedru, before eventually discharging into the Atlantic Ocean through Winneba, it is estimated that its pollution has impacted the lives of about 1.6 million Ghanaians. Ghana Water Company, which relies on this river to serve the various communities has had to shut down operations due to the high levels of pollution.
Galamsey also contributes heavily to deforestation. Protected areas and forest reserves, including parts of the globally significant Atewa Range, have been illegally cleared to make way for mining pits. The destruction of forest cover exacerbates climate change impacts, reduces biodiversity, and disrupts rainfall patterns, thereby threatening food security.
Public Health and Community Impact
The human cost of galamsey extends beyond the environment. Prolonged exposure to mercury—used in gold extraction—has been linked to neurological damage, kidney failure, and developmental disorders in children. Communities downstream from mining zones are particularly vulnerable, as contaminated water sources become breeding grounds for disease and long-term illness.
A publication by the University of Ghana’s Health Sciences Investigative Journal on galamsey identified that toxicological impacts of pollutants such as hydrocarbons, cyanide, mercury, lead, arsenic, soot, silt, and nitrate, are often released during galamsey activities.
The article indicates that impacts have been linked to adverse health effects, including neurological disorders, respiratory diseases, cardiovascular issues, and congenital defects
Working conditions for galamsey miners, many of whom are young and untrained, are often life-threatening. Collapsed mine shafts, accidents, and respiratory illnesses from dust and chemical exposure are common. The absence of formal regulation means these workers have little to no protection or recourse.
Weakening Institutions and Rule of Law
Perhaps the most dangerous aspect of galamsey is its corrosive effect on Ghana’s institutions. Efforts to clamp down on illegal mining have often been undermined by corruption and political interference. Reports abound of local officials, police, and even military personnel colluding with illegal miners in exchange for financial gain. Allegations of complicity in galamsey by highly placed political figures in the two major parties in Ghana, the NPP and the NDC abound. References have also been made to a report developed by a former Minister of Environment, Science and Technology which never saw the light of day.
When laws are inconsistently applied or selectively enforced, public trust in the state erodes. This undermines Ghana’s democratic foundations and weakens its ability to govern natural resources responsibly. The growing perception that galamsey is untouchable further emboldens actors who profit from lawlessness.
Economic Contradictions
While illegal mining brings short-term income to thousands of Ghanaians, particularly youth facing limited job opportunities, the long-term economic costs are staggering. Farmlands destroyed by mining pits reduce agricultural productivity and displace rural livelihoods. Water treatment costs have soared due to increased river pollution, placing strain on urban infrastructure and municipal budgets.
A typical example has to do with an organsiation with significant investments in the agricultural production and export sector. This company uses the Ayensu river for irrigation and employs about 200 workers. Due to the high levels of toxicity of the river, livelihoods are challenged because the company can no longer use the river Ayensu to irrigate the crops for export. As a result, the workers may be sent home and large parts of the land, already under cultivation, cannot be irrigated.
Such activity makes Ghana lose significant revenue due to unregulated gold exports, with much of the proceeds leaving the country untaxed. Even with the advent of the Ghana Goldboard, challenges remain. Legitimate, large-scale mining companies, which provide employment and tax income, are also undermined by the chaos of the illegal sector.
Toward Sustainable Solutions
Solving the galamsey crisis will require a multi-pronged strategy grounded in realism, equity, and enforcement. CISA proposes the following as a sustainable response:
1. Enforce Laws Fairly and Transparently
Law enforcement must be depoliticized and professionalized. Arrests and prosecutions should target not only small-scale operators but also the financiers and officials enabling them. A zero-tolerance approach is essential, but it must be consistent and legally sound to restore public trust.
2. Promote Alternative Livelihoods
Any sustainable strategy must offer economic alternatives to communities involved in galamsey. Government and private sector actors should invest in job creation in agriculture, green industries, and vocational training—particularly for the youth. Livelihood restoration should be central to any anti-galamsey campaign.
3. Community Engagement and Education
Local communities must be partners in protecting the environment. Education campaigns about the dangers of mercury and environmental degradation, combined with community-based monitoring, can foster grassroots resistance to illegal mining. The case of the closure of the Kwanyako water works and similar impacts of galamsey must be highlighted to engender understanding of the linkages.
4. Leverage Technology and Data
Use of satellite imaging, drone surveillance, and other l data can help track illegal mining operations in real time. Data-driven enforcement enhances efficiency and limits corruption by reducing human discretion.
5. The use of the Military in combating galamsey
The reality of the situation is that galamsey is now an issue of war. Ghana’s very existence is threatened by illegal mining, and the approach to dealing with offenders must be swift and brutal. The use of the military in such an instance should not be a difficulty.
Conclusion
Galamsey is more than an environmental or economic issue—it is a national emergency that threatens Ghana’s survival. If left unchecked, it could destabilize the country’s ecological balance, destroy governance structures, and endanger future generations. But the crisis also presents an opportunity: to rethink how Ghana manages its natural wealth, empowers its people, and upholds the rule of law.
The fight against galamsey cannot be won by the government alone. It demands a coalition of citizens, traditional leaders, civil society, media, and key security and intelligence organisations to provide support and guidance. Ghana must act decisively—and now—to reclaim its environment, its democracy, and its future
References
Citi Newsroom. (2022, April 25). GWCL may shut down plants over galamsey pollution. GhanaWeb. Retrieved from https://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/NewsArchive/GWCL-may-shut-down-plants-over-galamsey-1515624
Environmental Protection Agency Ghana. (n.d.). Reports and publications on environmental degradation from illegal mining. Retrieved from https://www.epa.gov.gh
Ghana Chamber of Mines. (2021). Annual report on mining and sustainable development.
Retrieved from https://www.ghanachamberofmines.org
IMANI Centre for Policy and Education. (2020). The political economy of illegal mining in Ghana: Governance failures and policy recommendations. Retrieved from https://imaniafrica.org
Minerals Commission of Ghana. (2021). Small-scale mining and galamsey monitoring report. Retrieved from https://www.mincom.gov.gh
Teschner, B. A. (2012). Small-scale mining in Ghana: The government and the galamsey. Resources Policy, 37(3), 308–314. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.resourpol.2012.02.001
United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Ghana. (2020). Formalizing artisanal and small-scale mining for sustainable development. Retrieved from https://www.gh.undp.org
World Bank. (2021). Ghana: Enhancing natural resource governance for sustainable development. Retrieved from https://www.worldbank.org/en/country/ghana
