How many more Ghanaians are going to perish because of this irresponsible and illegal mining, before we finally say, enough is enough? How many more babies are going to be born deformed, before we say, enough is enough? How many more hectares of arable land would be turned into deserts, before we say, enough is enough? How many hectares of cocoa farms will be converted to mines, before we say enough is enough? How many more rivers and waterbodies would become toxic, before we say, enough is enough?
Are we going to break El Salvador’s unenviable record of 90% of waterbodies contaminated with toxic waste, before we say, enough is enough?
In 2017, Major Mahama, a decent and principled military officer, on national duties at Denkyira Obuasi to help combat illegal mining, met his tragic death after being hunted down and killed like a wild animal by inhabitants of that town. Even though Major Mahama was armed, he stood by the military principle of protecting Ghana and Ghanaians and never fired a shot until he drew his last breath.
On August 6, 2025, eight Ghanaians led by Defence minister, Omane Boamah and Environment minister Murtala Muhammed, together with three government officials and three crew members, were on their way to the launching of the Responsible Cooperative Mining and Skills Development Programme (rCOMSDEP) in Obuasi, when the chopper crashed in Adansi Akrofuom, Ashanti, killing all on board.
The programme was to introduce responsible mining to replace the reckless irresponsible and illegal mining in Ghana.
So, how many more Ghanaians are going to perish before we finally say, enough is enough?
Seriously, as a country we must wake up. The Nana Addo administration inherited galamsey and he was determined to fight it. Unfortunately, things turned for worse as it seemed those behind the illegal mining included some powerful people in government and in the opposition.
Prof. Kwabena Frimpong Boateng’s report had listed such citizens. Instead of acting on the report, the ex-president came out to rubbish it as not having good enough evidence.
Prof’s own party turned against him to the extent that an MP, Hon. Sylvester Tetteh called him a funny man with a useless piece of paper, without even understanding what was in the report. H.E. Nana Akufo Addo lost the fight against illegal mining.
While military personnel were dying to make Ghana free from such environmental degradation caused by galamsey, some in service or retired sent to those areas contaminated their principled agendum and received gold from the illegal miners and allowed them to further destroy the environment and water bodies.
A pro-Nana Addo activist, a retired army captain from Doryumu in the Greater Accra region, sent to a galamsey site rather chose gold over doing what he was assigned to do. When he was found out and dismissed, he sharply turned against Nana Addo and attacks the ex-president with provocation.
The question is, how do we halt this when some officers and men from the Ghana Armed Forces, one of the most principled forces in the world, sent to the sites grossly compromise themselves?
So, with people in power and authority behind them and the state security forces supporting them, how can the illegal miners be stopped?
The whole scene is murky and foggy. Here in Ghana, we have communities who had arable lands for food production and forest for conservation of the ecosystem, with fresh water bodies for drinking and for fish, suddenly discarding the health and wealth that nature has for them and start destroying what had been handed on to the societies, leaving nothing for posterity. Other nationals have suddenly invaded such areas and when we complain, a Chinese official mocked us in the face saying that no Chinese knows where the gold is; we Ghanaians led them there.
Why would a traditional leader who is well vested in the importance of what nature and the ancestors have for the communities under his jurisdiction, allow these valuable life-giving gifts to be destroyed just for some few pieces of gold?
Why would the town folks who depend on the food crops cultivated from the good arable lands, bush meat from the bushes and forests and fresh fish and water from the water bodies, suddenly sell off these rich gifts of nature for gold and get as results,poor environmental conditions, toxic laden water bodies, poisonous soils not fit for cultivation of crops coupled with poor health conditions and the birth of deformed babies?
Why should people in authority, particularly the MMDCEs, who directly supervise such areas, watch on as the destruction of the environment goes on unabated?
What about politicians in government? Prof. Frimpong Boateng listed a few and he got himself into trouble. What are politicians there, for? Politicians must among other things, see to the growth and development of the country, right from the communities to the national, if our country is be very prosperous. But unfortunately, some politicians seek their interest first and if it means allowing wrongs things to be done, just to benefit them, especially with votes, then trust them, they would turn blind eyes against what is right, just and proper to do.
Unfortunately, with this situation, our environment can be destroyed for all they care. The waterbodies, as source of drinking water and fish production and the soil as source of good food production and the very health of the people can be at risk, so long as the votes come.
Those behind the galamsey can be traced to almost every sector of the country. We have the townsfolks, the chiefs and traditional leaders, public and civil servants, MMDCEs, state security agents, the private sector and the politicians and finally but most important, the other nationals with the Chinese topping the list.
Thus, this is how well entangled is illegal mining in Ghana, with a blend of the nationals and foreigners.
The NPP government handed over to the NDC on January 7, 2025 and already, social media is proclaiming that illegal mining is becoming worse now than then. Fingers are being pointed to some NDC party officials and executives. Nana Addo failed in eradicating galamsey. Now John Mahama has taken over, but can he stop it?
Some properly registered and big-time mining companies are not too happy, because the illegal miners invade their concessions and mine with impunity. The law cannot stop them because the law is part of the crime.
Illegal miners are well armed and are fighting off even the well-equipped national security forces. We are breeding terrorists, rebels and outlaws.
Our cocoa farmers are not too happy because their farms are invaded by these illegal miners. While some have sold off their farms to make quick money.
As things stand, sooner than later, Ghana may break the El Salvador’s record with over 90% of waterbodies being contaminated with toxic waste of heavy metals, even as it is alleged that some parts of the Volta River are now polluted as a result of galamsey.
When that happens, the same people who are active in this illegal mining and ready to kill and be killed over galamsey, will join others to blame the authority for not putting a halt to this. That will be when, we shall be importing drinking water, foodstuffs and fish from neighbouring countries.
With the death of the gallant nine over galamsey, Ghana has reached a point where government must go for broke and stop this once and for all.
We must honour the memories of Major Mahama, Hon Omane Boamah, Hon. Murtala Muhammed, Limuna, Sarpong, Aboagye, Wing Commander Anala, Flt/Lt Ampadu and Flt/Sgt Mensah who got killed in their line of duty to help stop galamsey.
Ghana needs to begin with outright suspension of all forms of mining. News making rounds states that a legal mining entity is irresponsibly diverting the Birim River at Apapam in the Akim area and also causing severe degradation and destruction of native trees in an ecological restoration site.
I will also suggest as I have been suggesting always, that the president must command the military into the galamsey areas. It should be like a wartime situation, where every soul found on site, indigenes, other Ghanaians or foreigners, should be arrested and imprisoned and made to work the land and waterbodies to restore them to their natural and healthy status. And no foreign mission should be entertained when they come to plead for the release of its nationals. Until the work is complete, no-one goes home.
As incentive for the forces on ground, they should be allowed to keep a quarter of any gold and mineral they retrieve from the illegal miners. They should give the state the three-quarters and should be mandated to sell their share only to government.
The Prof. Kwabena Frimpong Boateng’s report must be seriously considered in the fight against illegal mining. The Untouchables behind this must be arrested and through them others with power and authority who are involved will be revealed. Then the law will take over.
Our nine falling heroes cannot die in vain. They must be immortalised and their deeds made known to generations to come. This can only be achieved if we stop illegal mining and the degradation of our environment, waterbodies and soils.
May their souls and the souls of the faithful departed rest in peace.
By Hon. Daniel Dugan
