The Government of Ghana had already announced a ban on the importation of excavators as part of efforts to curb illegal mining, euphemistically known as galamsey.
The government had also introduced a heavy-duty equipment tracking system intended to monitor excavators and other earth-moving machinery and prevent them from being diverted to illegal mining sites.
The expectation is straightforward: if those who destroy our forests, rivers and farmlands are denied easy access to the heavy machinery required for their operations, the menace should at least be brought under control.
Though these interventions may not have been designed to eliminate galamsey overnight, Ghanaians are entitled to ask whether they are producing the results that were promised. Years of task forces, military operations, arrests, committees, declarations and new policies have not brought the nation to the point where we can confidently say that the tide is turning.
Rather, in many parts of the country, hope appears to be fading. The Chronicle has observed that despite operations by the National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS) and other security agencies to reclaim mining areas and forest reserves, illegal mining continues unabated, while dangerous mining pits continue to claim lives. The recent tragedy at Asaman Tamfoe in the Eastern Region is a grim case in point.
This menace is by no means confined to one part of Ghana. Travelling along major roads, including sections of the Accra-Kumasi corridor and through Bole in the Savannah Region, reveals disturbing evidence of how deeply galamsey has penetrated our communities.
The question, therefore, is: how much longer must Ghana continue fighting a war it appears incapable of winning?
Ghana’s long history of gold mining cannot be disputed. Indeed, the country continues to strengthen its position as one of the world’s leading gold-producing nations. We are of the view that this achievement should ordinarily be a source of national pride and economic opportunity.
We, however, ask: what is the value of our gold if, in the process of extracting it, we destroy the very land, forests and water bodies upon which the future survival of the nation depends?
We cannot sacrifice Ghana on the altar of gold. The consequences of uncontrolled mining extend far beyond the destruction of a few hectares of land. Rivers and other water bodies have been polluted, agricultural lands have been degraded and communities that once depended on farming and fishing face an uncertain future.
The environmental consequences also carry serious economic implications. Land degradation threatens agricultural productivity. Pollution increases the cost of treating water. Damaged watersheds can worsen vulnerability to droughts and floods and undermine sectors such as agriculture and hydropower.
In other words, galamsey is not merely an environmental problem. It is an economic, social and national security problem.
What makes the situation particularly troubling is that Ghana appears to know exactly what the problem is. The country has studied it, debated it and held countless meetings about it.
Political leaders have repeatedly promised to deal with it. Security agencies have undertaken operations. New laws and policies have been introduced and yet galamsey persists.
This raises uncomfortable questions about the capacity and commitment of the state. Why has a country capable of organising elections, collecting taxes, deploying security personnel and regulating several sectors found it so difficult to protect its rivers, forests and farmlands from illegal miners?
Is the problem simply one of inadequate enforcement? Are the laws too weak? Are institutions failing to work together? Or are powerful interests benefiting from an illegal industry that has become too deeply entrenched to confront? These are questions that cannot be dismissed with another press conference or another declaration of war.
The Chronicle has consistently argued that the fight against galamsey requires more than rhetoric. Those who finance, facilitate and protect illegal mining operations must be identified and dealt with according to law.
Equipment used for illegal mining must be effectively traced and accounted for, while institutions responsible for enforcement must be properly resourced and, more importantly, held accountable.
President John Dramani Mahama and his government must recognise the urgency of the situation. The country cannot continue to announce bold measures while its rivers turn brown, its forests disappear and communities watch their livelihoods being destroyed.
We maintain that Ghanaians cannot eat gold, neither can we drink it.If the destruction continues unchecked, the cost to future generations may be far greater than the temporary wealth being extracted today. We shall return!
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