Security Consultant Richard Kumadoe has raised fresh concerns about Ghana’s ongoing struggle with illegal mining, warning that entrenched political interests and business interests continue to undermine national efforts to resolve the menace.
Speaking on the issue, he argued that while illegal mining poses significant national security and environmental risks, the dominance of political calculations has crippled enforcement and stalled progress.
“If you take away the political interest and leave the national security interest, you will be able to deal with it as quickly as possible. But the political interest is what is driving this issue about galamsey and the ineffectiveness, as to which we are looking at it”
Richard Kumadoe, Security Consultant
Mr. Kumadoe maintained that the influence of political interest has been the most destructive element in the galamsey crisis. According to him, Ghana possesses the institutional and security capacity to crush illegal mining networks but has lacked the political will to act decisively.
He argued that security institutions such as the army, police, National Intelligence Bureau, and other specialised agencies have the resources to restore order, but their efforts remain constrained by political considerations. “If you take away political interest, we will be able to deal with this as soon as possible,” he stressed.
“I do not think we are really structured in the fight to win the war against the persons involved in galamsey,” Mr. Kumadoe said, further describing Ghana’s fight against illegal mining as chaotic and lacking a coordinated framework to sustain enforcement.
He recalled his last conversation with the recently deceased Minister for Environment, Science, Technology, and Innovation, Dr. Ibrahim Murtala Muhammed, where they discussed security risk assessments and the gradual reclamation of forest reserves.
He noted that some gains were made at the time, but these achievements were not sustained because political pressures overshadowed national security priorities.
“If we had a structure that helped us to retrieve the forest, which was predominantly occupied by galamseyers, and pursued it consistently, it would have helped us largely in many of the areas where we have galamsey going on”
Richard Kumadoe, Security Consultant
Risks of Inaction
Mr. Kumadoe warned that unless Ghana tackles the political drivers of galamsey, the country will continue to suffer environmental destruction and human tragedies like the August 6 military helicopter crash or worse.
According to him, ignoring the structural weaknesses and political interference that perpetuate illegal mining will only compound national security risks.
He emphasised that Ghana has the capacity to win the war against galamsey if leaders demonstrate the courage to prioritise national security over partisan interests.
The consultant insisted that Ghana must choose between protecting political fortunes and safeguarding its natural environment. He argued that galamsey has become a lucrative venture for certain political actors, making them reluctant to enforce laws that would disrupt the flow of resources and votes tied to illegal mining activities.
“So it is not like it is a national threat that we cannot curtail,” he said.
Mr. Kumadoe’s remarks have reinforced growing concerns that despite government interventions, including the deployment of military task forces and the establishment of policy frameworks, the galamsey fight will remain elusive if political actors continue to shield the perpetrators.
As the country prepares for the next phase of its environmental and security agenda, his caution highlights the need for a depoliticised and structured approach that harnesses the strength of Ghana’s security institutions while ensuring consistency in policy implementation.
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