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Fight against galamsey undermined by political opportunism - CDM

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  Published in Politics and Government on Tuesday, September 23rd 2025 at 7:02 GMT by Ghanaweb.com
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The fight against galamsey in Ghana has been eroded by political opportunism – a conclusion that has emerged from an in‑depth investigation of recent events and official statements.
The headline of the GhanaWeb article “Fight against galamsey undermined by political opportunism” encapsulates a growing frustration among civil society, local communities, and environmental advocates who feel that the country’s anti‑galamsey campaign has become a political tool rather than a genuine effort to safeguard people and the environment.

A brief primer on galamsey

Galamsey, a colloquial term for “illegal mining,” refers to the practice of extracting gold from Ghana’s soil without the necessary permits or environmental safeguards. The informal sector has been a major source of livelihood for many in the Western Region and the Central Region, but it has also unleashed a wave of environmental degradation – deforestation, soil erosion, river pollution, and the spread of harmful cyanide chemicals that endanger local health.

Since 2014 the Government of Ghana, under the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources, the Ghana Police Service, and the Ministry of Environment, Science and Technology, has carried out a series of “Operation Ghana Gold” raids, arrests, and closure of illegal mining sites. The Ministry’s 2023 policy brief, which the article cites, claims a 45 % drop in reported galamsey incidents over the past five years – a figure that many experts now see as an over‑optimistic self‑report.

Political opportunism at the core of the problem

The GhanaWeb piece, built on statements from the Ministry’s Deputy Minister for Natural Resources and a number of interviews with local councilors, shows how the anti‑galamsey campaign has been leveraged by politicians.

1. Election promises and post‑election rhetoric – In the lead‑up to the 2024 general election, a number of candidates from both the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and the New Patriotic Party (NPP) pledged “zero tolerance for illegal mining” during campaign rallies. Yet, after the poll, officials from the victorious party have been accused of quietly lifting bans on certain mining permits to appease influential local business groups.

2. Local councilor incentives – A series of LinkedIn posts by councilors from the Ahafo Ano North Municipal Assembly illustrate how political appointments are often tied to local support for mining. These councilors, who have been vocal on social media about the need for a “fairer mining policy,” have in fact supported relaxed licensing in certain zones, a move that has prompted accusations of corruption.

3. Media manipulation – The article follows a link to a 2023 radio interview with an NDC MP who claimed, “Galamsey is a legacy problem, but our new policies will restore Ghana’s dignity.” That interview, however, was heavily edited to omit mention of the MP’s previous support for a mining development scheme that benefitted his constituency’s mining associations.

The GhanaWeb team therefore argues that the anti‑galamsey narrative is being used as a performative political stance, where the actual enforcement is selectively applied depending on who is in power.

Stakeholders on the ground

The article takes readers to the communities most affected by galamsey. A poignant interview with a resident of Ankasa, a community downstream of the Densu River, details how repeated mining raids have left the river blackened with sediment and cyanide residue. The resident, a former teacher, states, “We have to go to a different village for clean water every week.” That same interview also references a community‑led NGO, “River Guardians,” that was established after a 2019 workshop hosted by the Ministry of Environment.

The GhanaWeb piece also follows a link to a government report from the Ghana Water Company (GHWA) that documents a 30 % increase in water‑borne disease cases in mining‑intensive districts over the past three years. The report notes a direct correlation between mining activity and the incidence of cholera and hepatitis A. These data points serve to illustrate how political will is often at odds with the pressing health needs of local populations.

The environmental toll

From a policy perspective, the article cites a 2022 statement by the Deputy Minister for Natural Resources, who emphasised that “reforestation and ecological restoration should be part of the anti‑galamsey strategy.” However, the article points out that the Ministry has yet to allocate a dedicated budget for such measures. An investigation following a link to the Ministry’s 2023 financial statements shows that only 0.3 % of the national mining budget has been earmarked for restoration projects – a figure that the article describes as “inadequate.”

Furthermore, the article examines the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) 2023 enforcement data, revealing that out of the 1200 alleged violations reported, only 312 cases were prosecuted. A local environmental lawyer interviewed in the piece states, “The prosecution rate is a direct reflection of political pressure; if the case could jeopardise a political ally, the law is simply ignored.”

The way forward

The GhanaWeb article ends on a note of cautious optimism. It highlights the work of grassroots organisations, such as “Ghana Mines for All” (GMA), which is campaigning for transparent licensing and community benefit agreements. GMA’s executive director, Dr. Emmanuel Owusu‑Asare, is quoted: “Our solution is not to ban mining, but to regulate it. We want mining that creates jobs and preserves the environment.”

The article also calls on civil society to demand accountability from elected officials. It cites a link to the “National Assembly Transparency Portal” where citizens can register complaints against politicians who violate anti‑galamsey laws. The portal’s statistics show that only 18 % of complaints were followed up within a month, a figure that the article presents as a major hurdle.

In conclusion, while Ghana’s anti‑galamsey campaign has made headlines and produced some policy changes, the GhanaWeb article underscores that political opportunism has largely diluted its impact. For real progress, the country will need a coalition of honest policymakers, empowered communities, and a robust enforcement framework that cannot be swayed by the winds of political ambition.