The Ghanaian government has intensified its efforts to combat illegal mining (galamsey), with President John Dramani Mahama vowing to put an end to the menace. The Ghanaian government has deployed a joint military and police task force, to clamp down on illegal mining activities.

In recent weeks, the military and police task force has made several arrest and seizures. Over 200 illegal miners have been arrested, and numerous excavators, trucks, and other  equipment have been seized. Recently, some illegal miners and the military were engaged in shootings in Obausi in the Ashanti region, which led to seven people losing their dear lives.

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Chinese Woman Aisha Haung Engages In Illegal Mining

A Chinese illegal miner, Aisha Huang known as Galamsey queen was arrested for engaging in illegal mining (galamsey). In December 2023, Aisha Huang was sentenced to four and half years in jail. Additionally, her sentence included a fine worth $4000.

Many illegal miners have resorted to operating at night, making it difficult for the task force to track them. Also some community leaders have been accused of colluding with the illegal miners, undermining the government’s effort.

Environmental Impact

The environmental impact of galamsey has been devastating. Rivers and water bodies have been polluted, forests have been destroyed, and farmlands have been degraded. The government estimates that the cost of rehabilitating the damaged environment could run into billions of Ghanaian cedis.

Without combating illegal mining going on in the country currently, water bodies will continue to be in bad shape which can cause Ghana to import water in the near future.

Moreover, the main motive behind people engaging in illegal mining have been revealed to be youth unemployment and lack of job security. Also, some dubious people also engage in illegal mining due to their selfish interest and personal gains without thinking about what will happen to the community and the country as a whole.

The fight against galamsey in Ghana is ongoing, with the government making significant efforts to combat the menace. However, more needs to be done to address the root causes of the problem and to ensure that the environmental damage is reversed.