The Ghana Academy of Arts and Sciences (GAAS) has observed with great concern, the destruction of forest reserves and pollution of water bodies in the country as a result of illegal mining also known as ‘galamsey’.
In a statement issued on the menace Friday, December 15, 2023, the Academy noted that “Ghana is on the brink of an environmental, health and social disaster as a result of illegal mining. We are rapidly approaching the precipice despite the efforts by successive governments to address this menace.”
The Academy says it is worried that efforts by successive governments to curb galamsey have proved futile after those put in charge achieved little with the modules they adopted to address the matter.
“The latest ‘Fight Against Galamsey’ has failed in spite of the legal-institutional framework that was put in place. For instance, although the Minerals and Mining (Amendment) Act, 2019 (Act 995), was passed to specifically redefine the offence of illegal mining (including illegal small-scale mining such as galamsey) and to provide punishment for it, the government has proved unwilling, unable and/or reluctant to enforce the law,” portions of the statement indicated.
The statement added that “the two versions of ‘Operation Halt,’ the military operation to root out illegal mining, have also petered out”, further indicating that the arrest of operators and burning of equipment have all not yielded results and has therefore proposed some policy actions for government to take to help resolve the matter.
“The thrust of the high-profile efforts to stop illegal mining revolved around arresting some of the operators and seizing or burning their equipment, which have not only proved ineffective, but have also posed environmental, health and social challenges.
“Accordingly, GAAS demands that the government implements the
following policy actions:
1. Declare a moratorium on all kinds of surface mining activities
around river bodies;
2. Revoke all reconnaissance and prospecting licenses, mining
leases and small-scale mining licenses in forest reserves and
other fragile ecosystems such as Key Biodiversity Areas;
3. Revoke the Environmental Protection (Mining in Forest
Reserves) Regulations, 2022 (L.I. 2462); and
4. Establish a plan for land reclamation in all areas destroyed
by illegal mining and other forms of surface mining.
Read the full statement of the Academy here.
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