By Godwin Owusu Frimpong
The ongoing crisis of illegal small-scale mining, known locally as “galamsey,” has reached a critical juncture, prompting President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to convene discussions with Organised Labour at Jubilee House in Accra. This turn of events raises important questions about the government’s historical inaction and apparent lackluster attitude toward a problem that has irrevocably damaged the nation’s water bodies and ecosystems.
In a recent statement from Information Minister Fatimatu Abubakar, the government expressed its commitment to engaging stakeholders and pursuing sustainable mining practices. However, the sincerity of this commitment is cast into doubt against the backdrop of seven years of neglect that have allowed illegal mining activities to thrive unchecked. One must ponder whether the president believes Ghanaians are unaware of the multiple failures his administration has exhibited in confronting this escalating crisis.
Criticism from Organised Labour has intensified, accompanied by a looming threat of industrial action if their concerns regarding illegal mining and environmental degradation remain unaddressed. The recent announcement of an “Environmental Prayer Walk against Galamsey” by the Catholic Archdiocese of Accra further underscores the urgent public demand for action. Meanwhile, protests from the Democracy Hub and Coalition Against Illegal Mining reflect a populace increasingly disillusioned by governmental inefficacy.
The measures taken by the government so far—including temporary bans on small-scale mining, the licensing of miners, and the confiscation of excavators—have proven largely ineffective. Despite President Akufo-Addo’s earlier promise to risk his presidency to tackle galamsey, the continuation of this illicit practice casts serious doubt on the true level of commitment from the administration.
This troubling situation necessitates an urgent and transparent response from the government, one that prioritizes environmental restoration and the well-being of its citizens rather than mere dialogues that lack substantive follow-through. It remains unclear whether these recent discussions will translate into meaningful action, or if they are yet another instance of political theatrics in a long history of neglect. Ghanaians are left to grapple with the implications and consequences of a government seemingly out of touch with the gravity of its own failures.
Godwin Owusu Frimpong
