Ghana’s fight against illegal mining has reached a critical juncture, with forest reserves being destroyed at an alarming rate.

The Coordinator of Eco-Conscious Citizens, Madam Awula Serwaa has called for urgent Action Against Illegal Mining.

She expressed deep concern over the slow response of the government and security agencies in tackling the issue, arguing that the destruction of the environment should be treated as an emergency rather than a subject of endless discussions.

She criticized the current government for failing to treat the situation with the urgency it deserves.

“I have compared it to a house burning. When your house is burning, the first thing you do is put out the fire. I’m tired of lamentations. Oh, so much of our forest reserves have been destroyed. Hello? … We’ve known it was going on.”
Madam Awula Serwaa Coordinator of Eco-Conscious Citizens

She further emphasized that concerns about illegal mining were raised even before the 2020 elections, yet the government failed to take decisive action at the time.

“That is why before the elections… during the run-up to the elections, there were demands that were made. And if the current administration had taken it seriously, then this is not the time to be setting up committees.”
Madam Awula Serwaa Coordinator of Eco-Conscious Citizens

Madam Awula Serwaa warned that the situation is escalating dangerously, with some illegal miners now forming armed groups capable of resisting security forces.

“Let’s not forget that in parts of Latin America, there are no-go areas because the drug cartels have become so powerful… We haven’t yet reached that stage. But, yes, it’s on record that some armed responses have been repelled by some of the armed environmental terrorists.”
“Let’s stop talking. Let’s immediately declare a state of emergency so that we can go into the forest reserves and begin to remove the illegal miners and their equipment.”
Madam Awula Serwaa Coordinator of Eco-Conscious Citizens

The Debate Over Burning Excavators

The approach to dealing with illegal mining equipment, particularly excavators, has been a contentious issue in Ghana’s fight against galamsey. Following the government seizure of 15 excavators from some mining areas, President Mahama directed that such machines should not be burnt but rather seized. Madam Awula Serwaa initially opposed the practice of burning seized excavators but acknowledged the rationale behind it.

“As an environmentalist, I was against the burning of excavators. But what was told to us was that a lot of the time, the illegal miners immobilize the excavators, so you can’t remove them. And when you can’t remove them, later on when you’ve left, they come back and continue their work. That’s why they were burning them.”
“If we are not to burn them, you need to have the systems in place… whatever machinery, you need to be able to put the excavators that have been immobilized onto low loaders and then remove them from the forest reserve. And let’s hope that they don’t disappear as some of them allegedly disappeared under the previous administration.”
Madam Awula Serwaa Coordinator of Eco-Conscious Citizens

Military Strength vs. Illegal Miners

A major concern raised in her remarks was whether Ghana’s military and security forces are being outmatched by illegal miners. She acknowledged that some of these illegal operators are heavily armed, making it crucial for security agencies to approach the fight strategically in order not to be overpowered by these groups.

“Each time you are overpowered, you actually send a message that you cannot match the military strength of the illegal miners, and that’s not what we want to do.”
Madam Awula Serwaa Coordinator of Eco-Conscious Citizens

Madam Awula Serwaa reiterated the call for a temporary ban on small-scale mining, arguing that without such a measure, it is difficult to differentiate between legally compliant operators and those engaging in illegal activities.

Based on her emphasis, one of the most troubling revelations was the allegation that illegal mining activities continue under the watch of law enforcement officers. She cited a specific example from Asemkrome, where mining operations were allegedly taking place near a police station without any intervention from the authorities.

Madam Awula Serwaa’s statements highlight the dire state of Ghana’s environmental crisis due to illegal mining. Her call for a state of emergency, better-equipped security forces, a temporary ban on small-scale mining, and stricter measures against illegal miners underlines the urgency of the situation.

Without immediate and decisive action, Ghana risks losing its forest reserves permanently while emboldening armed groups that threaten national security.