Kenneth Ashigbey, Convenor for the Ghana Coalition Against Galamsey (GCAG), has renewed the coalition’s call for decisive and sustained action against illegal mining, urging the government to abandon justifications rooted in unemployment and revenue generation.
Speaking at a press conference in Accra, Ashigbey warned that galamsey is not just an environmental issue but an existential threat to Ghana’s natural resources, public trust, and national security.
“The government must intensify its efforts in combating galamsey and refrain from justifying it on the grounds of unemployment and revenue generation. There is absolutely no reason why we are failing at this,” the coalition stated.
The GCAG, a broad alliance of civil society groups, professional bodies, and media organizations, expressed deep concern over the continued delay in revoking L.I. 2462, a legislative instrument that opened forest reserves to mining and alleged complicity of government officials and security personnel in illegal mining operations.
“Our demand for the revocation of L.I. 2462 still stands. The Executive must not sit aloof while citizens are left to fate to fight for the future of the very country we entrusted into the hands of the President,” Ashigbey emphasized.
The coalition also called for:
An urgent state of emergency in critical mining zones
Public disclosure of police transfers from galamsey-prone areas
Prosecution of politically exposed persons involved in illegal mining
Protection for Forestry Commission officers facing violent attacks in the line of duty
Citing recent violent incidents and political interference, the GCAG stressed that Ghana is at a crossroads, either enforce the law or risk irreversible damage to its environment, governance, and social fabric.
“This is not just about galamsey. It is about the citizens’ trust in the government and about our survival. It is about whether this government will honour its word or continue to betray the very citizens it swore to protect,” the coalition concluded.
Business Implications
With Ghana’s agricultural sector, water security, and investor confidence all threatened by illegal mining, the GCAG’s statement serves as a clarion call to policymakers and private sector actors to align economic development with sustainable environmental governance.
