By Peter Martey AGBEKO
In my last column, I titled my piece, Let’s Not Take Our Eyes off the Galamsey menace. This week, I am following my own advice. Once again, the focus is on Ghana’s most pressing environmental crisis—galamsey, the illegal mining scourge that continues to devastate our lands, poison our water bodies, and undermine the very fabric of our society.
The latest revelations by investigative journalist Erastus Asare Donkor confirm what many have suspected all along: despite government rhetoric and so-called crackdowns, illegal mining activities persist unabated in our forests and rivers.
His latest exposé is as damning as it is disconcerting. It paints a grim picture of how deeply entrenched this problem is and how compromised the very institutions meant to fight it have become.
Erastus deserves the highest national recognition for his relentless work in exposing this national shame. His investigative pieces have time and again highlighted the destruction caused by galamsey and the powerful individuals who benefit from it.
In any serious country, such a man would receive state protection and national honours. Instead, journalists like him often work under threats and intimidation while those who have done much less are given state protection and rewarded. This is yet another moment of truth for Ghana’s leadership.
The political hypocrisy must stop
The fight against galamsey is, at its core, a test of political will. Unfortunately, both major political parties—the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the National Democratic Congress (NDC)—have consistently failed this test. Their approach to the issue changes conveniently depending on whether they are in power or in opposition. The hypocrisy is glaring, and Ghanaians are watching.
When in opposition, both parties readily criticise the government of the day for failing to stop illegal mining. They make grand promises to protect the environment, vowing to clamp down on galamsey. However, once in power, their tune changes. Suddenly, they become reluctant to take decisive action, fearing backlash from their own party members and associates who are neck-deep in illegal mining operations.
This is the hard truth: neither the NPP nor the NDC has shown the courage or the moral authority to decisively deal with the menace. They are unwilling to check their own party people and financiers who benefit from this destructive trade. This is why Ghanaians must hold them accountable and demand answers. The destruction of our forests and water bodies cannot continue to be a political game.
A country on the brink
Illegal mining is not just an environmental issue; it is an existential threat to Ghana’s future. The destruction of forests and farmlands is leading to food insecurity. The contamination of water bodies with mercury and other toxic chemicals is exposing communities to serious health hazards. The economic cost is equally staggering, with the country losing billions in potential revenue due to smuggling and unregulated mining activities.
We must ask ourselves: What kind of country are we leaving for the next generation? Will they inherit lush forests, clean rivers, and fertile lands, or will they inherit a wasteland destroyed by greed and short-term political expediency?
What Needs to Be Done
- State Protection for Investigative Journalists: The work of journalists like Erastus Asare Donkor must be protected at all costs. They are risking their lives to expose the truth, and the least the state can do is ensure their safety. If the government is truly committed to the fight against galamsey, it should recognise and support such efforts rather than allow them to be silenced by powerful vested interests.
- Severe Consequences for Complicit Politicians and Public Officials: Ghana needs a new level of accountability where politicians and government officials found to be enabling galamsey face real consequences. This means jail time, not just the usual political theatrics of suspensions and reshuffling.
- Empowerment of Local Communities: The communities most affected by galamsey must be at the center of the fight. They must be given the resources and authority to protect their lands and water bodies. Community-led monitoring and enforcement mechanisms should be encouraged, with whistleblowers rewarded rather than punished.
- Independent and Apolitical Taskforce: The fight against galamsey cannot be left in the hands of political appointees whose loyalty is often to party interests rather than the national interest. Ghana needs an independent, well-resourced anti-galamsey task force that operates above political influence.
- Public Pressure Must Be Relentless: Civil society, the media, and ordinary Ghanaians must continue to demand action. We cannot afford to look away or become desensitised to the destruction unfolding before us. The pressure must be sustained until tangible results are seen.
A Call to Action
This is a moment of truth for Ghana. The evidence is overwhelming, the consequences are dire, and the stakes could not be higher. The government, the opposition, and every Ghanaian must decide: Do we want to save our country, or will we continue to allow greed, corruption, and political convenience to destroy it?
There is still time to change course, but that window is closing fast. If we fail to act now, future generations will not forgive us.
The ball is in our court. Let us not take our eyes off it
