Former Minister and Member of Parliament, Dr. Kwabena Donkor, is proposing practical and long-term solutions that will help the state transition from the short-term fight to long-term sustainable mining.
The former minister is urging the government to rethink its approach to the fight against illegal mining, saying the use of security forces must be seen as a short-term measure. To him, a purposeful, well-planned transition to legal and sustainable mining must become the country’s long-term goal.
In an exclusive interview with The High Street Journal, Dr. Donkor outlined a series of practical and forward-looking solutions that could turn the fight against galamsey into an opportunity for industrialization, job creation, and environmental renewal.
Education and Purposeful Action: The Foundation for Change
Dr. Donkor believes the transformation of Ghana’s mining sector must begin with education and purposeful action.
He emphasized the need to properly sensitize small-scale miners about responsible mining methods, environmental protection, and the benefits of formalization.
Dr. Donkor says transitioning illegal mining to legal mining will require education, resources, and deliberate action. He believes that the government must ensure that miners understand not just the law, but the reasons behind it.
He added that technical training and community-level awareness campaigns can play a key role in reshaping the mindset of those involved in illegal mining.
Demarcating Legal Mining Zones for Cooperatives
A key part of the transition, according to Dr. Donkor, is the creation of dedicated zones for legal small-scale mining cooperatives. He urged the government to collaborate closely with the Minerals Commission and the Ghana Geological Survey Authority to identify mineral-rich lands that can be designated for such groups.
This, he said, would reduce the scramble for unregulated sites and make it easier to monitor and regulate small-scale operations. “Have we done a thorough mineralogical study of these areas?” he asked. “We need to demarcate land where small-scale miners can work legally without being criminalized.”
Adopting Mercury-Free and Safe Mining Technologies
Dr. Donkor also called for the introduction of safer, modern mining technologies, citing examples from the Philippines and Chile, where small-scale miners operate without using harmful chemicals such as mercury.
“In Ghana, we must learn from global best practices,” he said. “We can mine safely and still be productive.” He also commended previous initiatives like the ‘Gold Katcha’ machines introduced by the Minerals Commission, which helped miners increase yields while minimizing environmental damage.
He suggested that more such technology should be deployed across mining communities.
Discouraging Heavy Equipment Use in Small-Scale Mining
According to Dr. Donkor, the growing use of heavy machinery in small-scale mining has worsened environmental degradation. “When heavy excavators are used, areas that could have supported mining for four or five years are destroyed within six months,” he lamented.
He urged the government to discourage the use of heavy machinery in small-scale mining and replace it with appropriate mechanized equipment that is environmentally friendly and safer for miners.
Land Reclamation Must Be Embedded in Mining Operations
Another critical point raised by Dr. Donkor is the need to make land reclamation an integral part of mining activities, not an afterthought. “Reclamation should not be something we do after mining,” he insisted. “It should be embedded into the mining process itself.”
This, he explained, would ensure that the environment is continuously restored even as mining continues, preventing the long-term ecological devastation currently visible in many parts of Ghana.
The Bottomline
Dr. Donkor believes the fight against illegal mining must go beyond arrests and confiscations. “The use of the coercive state apparatus must be shortened to stem the tide,” he said, “but the medium to long-term solution must come from deliberate, purposeful transition.”
By combining education, technology, regulation, and environmental care, Ghana can transform its mining sector into a model of sustainable growth, one that protects the land while empowering its people.
