Renowned Ghanaian businessman and mining executive Sir Sam Jonah has raised concerns over the widespread destruction of the country’s rivers, forests and farmlands through illegal mining, popularly known as galamsey, warning that the practice poses serious environmental, economic, public health and moral challenges.
Sir Sam Jonah expressed worry over the deteriorating condition of Ghana’s water bodies, noting that rivers that once provided clean water and sustained communities have become heavily polluted by mining activities.
He made the remarks on Thursday, October 15, 2026, while addressing the Methodist University Ghana International Conference 2026, organised to mark the institution’s 25th anniversary.
The mining executive described the destruction caused by illegal mining as a troubling indication of the country’s failure to protect its natural resources and preserve them for present and future generations.
“Illegal mining, galamsey, is destroying our rivers, our forests and our farmland. Rivers that fed our grandparents now run the colour of chocolate milk. This is not only an environmental problem. It is an economic problem, a health problem and, in the end, a moral problem.
“It is what happens when people gain all they can and forget Wesley’s condition about not hurting their neighbour. But stewardship is not only about the land. It is also about money and talent.”
Galamsey has contributed significantly to the pollution of rivers and other water bodies, the degradation of forest reserves and the destruction of arable land across the country.
The activities have also threatened the livelihoods of communities that depend on farming, fishing and other natural-resource-based occupations for their survival.
Water pollution remains one of the most visible consequences of illegal mining, with growing concerns about its implications for water treatment, access to safe drinking water and the rising cost of supplying potable water to affected communities.
Beyond the immediate environmental damage, the destruction of farmlands and forests poses risks to food production, biodiversity and the long-term sustainability of Ghana’s natural resources.
