The government’s GoldBod initiative, launched to formalize Ghana’s gold trade and support small-scale miners, has come under sharp criticism from Professor Stephen Adei, educationist and former Chairman of the National Development Planning Commission (NDPC), who described the program as effectively legalizing galamsey.
Speaking to a congregation in a video widely shared on social media, Professor Stephen Adei warned that politicians, chiefs, and security agents are responsible for polluting Ghana’s water sources, arguing that government policies such as the GoldBod initiative have allowed illegal mining to continue unchecked, effectively a legalisation of galamsey.
He explained that the government has the ability to distinguish between genuine small-scale miners and galamsey operators, which gives it the leverage to stop illegal mining. The fact that this distinction exists but no action is taken, and instead the initiative is moved forward, legalizes galamsey.
“If you are able to distinguish between the small genuine gold miners and galamseyers, you could have stopped the galamseyers” he said
Prof Adei further noted that while the government claims to support small-scale miners, the lack of enforcement allows illegal operators to continue under the guise of legality. His remarks add a new dimension to the ongoing debate over galamsey, a practice long criticized for its devastating impact on rivers and farmlands.
Galamsey, or illegal small-scale mining, has long been a major environmental and social challenge in Ghana. Rivers and farmlands across the country have been severely polluted, with toxic chemicals like mercury and cyanide contaminating water sources and threatening livelihoods. Communities living near mining areas often face health risks, loss of arable land, and disruptions to local ecosystems.
Despite repeated government interventions and anti-galamsey campaigns, the practice persists. Previous crackdowns, including military-led operations, have sometimes provided only temporary relief, as illegal miners often return once enforcement eases.
Critics argue that without structural reforms and stricter oversight, initiatives such as GoldBod may inadvertently empower illegal operators rather than support genuine small-scale miners.
Environmentalists and civil society groups have consistently called for stronger monitoring mechanisms, public transparency in gold trading, and the empowerment of legitimate miners through access to finance, technology, and markets.
They warn that formalizing the gold trade without addressing enforcement gaps risks normalizing illegal operations and deepening the environmental crisis.
