Former Managing Director of Cal Bank and a prominent member of the Media Coalition Against Galamsey, Mr. Frank Adu Jnr, has bemoaned the government’s lack of urgency in tackling illegal mining, commonly known as galamsey. Speaking on PM Express on Joy News, he said multiple appeals and proposals by the coalition have failed to draw meaningful action from authorities.
Mr. Adu described galamsey as a national emergency with dire security and environmental implications. According to him, the brazenness with which illegal miners operate, often armed with sophisticated weapons, poses a real threat of terrorism in the future. “This situation warrants a declaration of a state of emergency,” he stressed.
He said one of the most effective ways to confront the menace is to target and prosecute the powerful financiers behind it, rather than focusing only on miners on the ground. “If I were given the mandate to fight galamsey, I would not hesitate to arrest well-known personalities involved—whether legally or illegally law,” he stated.
Mr. Adu also highlighted the devastating effects of illegal mining on water bodies, including mercury contamination and river pollution, which have made water treatment expensive and difficult. He noted that communities near mining sites are reporting increased cases of birth deformities and that if left unchecked, the health consequences could extend to urban areas like Accra.
Illegal mining has been widely blamed for destroying farmlands, displacing communities, threatening biodiversity, and worsening Ghana’s water crisis. In 2023, for instance, the Ghana Water Company warned that it may be unable to treat water for some regions due to the high levels of pollution from mining activity.
Touching on governance more broadly, Mr. Adu criticized Ghana’s political system for lacking meritocracy. He urged President John Mahama to make appointments based on competence, not party loyalty or media presence.
He lamented that many key decisions, ranging from investments to funding allocations are driven by political calculations rather than national interest, and said such practices have consistently undermined development across successive governments.
