Illegal mining, known locally as galamsey, continues to ravage Ghana’s natural environment, threatening rivers, forests, and the livelihoods of millions who depend on them.
As the devastation deepens, calls for urgent intervention are reaching the doorstep of President John Dramani Mahama, who is being urged to commit to decisive action.
The Ghana Bar Association (GBA) has also waded into the national debate, stressing the urgent need for justice and accountability in the fight against environmental destruction.
According to the President of the Association, galamsey has escalated beyond an economic issue into a human rights crisis, as polluted water bodies and degraded farmlands jeopardise the health and food security of communities.
Rivers turn to poison
The once-majestic Pra, Ankobra, and Offin rivers now run thick with mud and toxic chemicals, the result of illegal mining activities upstream. Villagers in affected communities report skin diseases, declining fish stocks, and worsening water scarcity.
Forests, too, have become collateral damage. Protected areas, reserves, and cocoa farmlands are being razed at alarming rates to make way for makeshift mining pits.
Environmentalists warn that the destruction of forest cover will accelerate climate change impacts, including droughts and erratic rainfall.
GBA demands accountability
The GBA President, Mrs Efua Ghartey, has called for the strict enforcement of existing laws against illegal mining, noting that weak prosecutions and political interference have emboldened perpetrators.
“If indeed that is the case, one may ask, what thriving business in Ghana requires the importation of such huge numbers of excavators?
“If entrenched interests hide behind status and privilege, then we as lawyers have a moral duty to strip away the impunity that shields them. The rivers of Ghana cannot speak, the forest cannot do likewise, but we as custodians of justice must raise our voices on their behalf,” she said, urging the judiciary, law enforcement, and government agencies to collaborate in dismantling the galamsey networks.
She further recommended the establishment of a special environmental court to fast-track galamsey-related cases, ensuring offenders face swift and deterrent punishments.
Mahama under pressure
Civil society groups, traditional leaders, and environmental advocates are appealing directly to President Mahama to outline a concrete anti-galamsey policy in his campaign. Many said beyond promises, they want clear timelines, actionable measures, and guarantees of political will.
Mahama, who has acknowledged the severity of the galamsey crisis in past remarks, is under growing pressure to prove that his prospective administration will confront the menace with courage and consistency.
A cry for justice
As Ghana edges closer to the 2028 elections, the voices of rivers, forests, and affected communities grow louder, demanding justice and urgent action.
For many, the galamsey fight has become a litmus test of leadership — one that will determine not just political fortunes, but the survival of the nation’s ecological heritage.
