Illegal Mining Crisis Exposes Govt’s Failed Promises

The ongoing galamsey crisis has once again drawn harsh criticism, with illegal mining taking center stage in a press conference organized by the Coalition Against Illegal Mining. 

Awula Serwah, Coordinator of Eco-Conscious Citizens, minced no words in condemning the government’s inaction and failure to fulfill past promises to end the environmental destruction caused by illegal mining activities.

According to Serwah, the devastation being caused is not just negligent—it is deliberate. 

Referring to the current situation as a case of wickedness, she stressed that if the political will existed, illegal mining could be stopped immediately. The real problem, she argued, lies in the government’s lack of commitment.

“If you want to stop illegal mining, we can stop it today. We need the political will to stop it. We know that in the run-up to the elections, when there was a lot of concern about what was going on, promises were made to fight illegal mining. And these promises have not been kept.” 

Awula Serwah

Serwah criticized the government for prioritizing economic policies such as the E-Levy and betting tax over more urgent environmental concerns. 

She questioned why relatively simple actions—like revoking Legislative Instrument (LI) 2462—have not been carried out, despite public belief that it was being annulled.

“What’s going on is an amendment, which does not help us,” she said, making clear that partial measures are insufficient in the face of what she described as an existential crisis.

She warned that even when water looks clear, it might still contain invisible toxins like mercury and cyanide, which are colorless and highly dangerous. 

This chemical contamination is a direct consequence of galamsey activities, and its impact stretches beyond the environment to public health.

Targeted Emergency Needed To Fight Illegal Mining 

In the course of her address, Awula Serwah made a passionate call for a targeted state of emergency. 

She urged the government to launch an immediate crackdown in forest reserves and around vital water bodies to eliminate what she referred to as environmental terrorists.

“The house is burning. We need to declare a targeted state of emergency and go to the forest reserves, water bodies, and remove the environmental terrorists.”

Awula Serwah

Additionally, Serwah pressed for the full revocation of LI2462 and EI144, which had declassified parts of the Achimota Forest. 

These legislative tools, in her view, enable destructive activities to continue under the guise of legality.

She advocated for a suspension of small-scale mining entirely, arguing that Ghana currently lacks the infrastructure and institutional capacity to effectively monitor and enforce mining regulations. Licensing alone, she said, is not the issue.

The country’s problem, according to Serwah, lies in its deep-seated resistance to enforcement. 

Whether in mining, construction, or land use regulations, Ghana has demonstrated a consistent inability to hold individuals and institutions accountable.

Accordingly, Serwah called for immediate legal action against all individuals named in Professor Frimpong-Boateng’s report on illegal mining. 

She stated plainly that by now, those identified should already be arrested and prosecuted. Furthermore, if found guilty, she recommended a polluter-pays policy.

“Their assets should be sold and used towards the cost of reclamation, because that’s a lot of money that is going to be spent,” she said, underlining the high financial burden illegal mining has placed on the state.

She also pushed back against the frequently cited justification that illegal mining provides livelihoods. According to Serwah, the broader economic damage far outweighs any short-term gains.

“Do we know that about 2.5 million peasant families are at risk of losing their livelihood as a consequence of illegal mining? So let’s think of other people and not only those engaged in criminal activity.”

Awula Serwah

The message was clear: the human and environmental toll of illegal mining can no longer be ignored or postponed. 

The government, according to Serwah and the Coalition Against Illegal Mining, must shift from rhetoric to action before irreversible damage is done.

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