In today’s fast-paced Ghana, the race for wealth is leaving behind a trail of destruction. Forests are cleared, rivers poisoned, and lands stripped bare for minerals—all in the name of illegal mining, popularly called galamsey.
While such activities may bring short-term riches, the long-term costs are catastrophic. Experts warn that this unchecked exploitation is not just an environmental problem but a direct threat to human survival, economic growth, and sustainable development.
“Real wealth lies not only in money, but in the clean air we breathe, the safe water we drink, and the fertile lands that feed us.”
A Broken Balance
Nature sustains life. It provides clean air, fresh water, fertile soil, and stable climates. Yet galamsey has disrupted this balance. Deforestation destroys biodiversity and causes soil erosion, while reckless mining leaves behind lifeless wastelands that cannot easily be restored.
Galamsey is fueling climate change. Floods, droughts, rising seas, and erratic rainfall patterns are becoming common. Farmers lose their crops, fishing communities struggle, and entire regions battle food insecurity.
Ironically, the financial losses from climate disasters often outweigh the profits of illegal mining.
Communities near illegal mining sites pay a heavy price. Toxic chemicals like mercury and cyanide seep into rivers, contaminating drinking water and spreading diseases.
Children and the elderly suffer the most. In the end, the money earned through environmental destruction is spent on hospital bills and medical treatment.
Poverty, Inequality, and Conflict
Contrary to its promise of quick wealth, galamsey deepens poverty. Families who depend on forests and rivers for farming and fishing are left stranded. Scarcity of resources sparks conflicts between communities, while only a few reap the benefits.
The poor become poorer, while inequality grows wider.
The dangers of galamsey must serve as a wake-up call to:
Government and Parliament
Judiciary and Security Forces
Traditional Leaders and Citizens
Ghana’s future depends on leaders and individuals choosing to protect, not plunder, the environment.
The Way Forward
Nature is not an endless bank account. To destroy it for profit is to mortgage our health, security, and future.
True development is not measured by short-term wealth but by the sustainability of the systems that keep us alive.
If Ghana is to secure lasting progress, it must choose sustainability over greed. The fight against galamsey is not just about protecting the environment—it is about defending life itself.
Written By Kwame Nyame
(President – Royal Kente Weavers and Sellers Association)
