By In a passionate address during the May Day celebration on Thursday, May 1, 2025, President John Mahama reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to combating illegal small-scale gold mining, locally known as galamsey. “We won’t give up on the fight against galamsey,” Mahama declared, acknowledging the complexity of the issue while standing firm on his promise to protect Ghana’s environment and water bodies.
However, as the crisis deepens, many Ghanaians are left wondering if the government’s actions will be enough to reverse the catastrophic damage already done.
A Promise Under Pressure
When Mahama assumed office on January 7, 2025, he made a bold pledge to eradicate galamsey within four months—a promise he now admits is far more challenging than anticipated. Despite this, his administration has taken decisive steps. Since January, the anti-galamsey task force has arrested 47 individuals, including 39 Ghanaians, 8 Chinese nationals, and others from Burkina Faso, Nigeria, Guinea, Mali, and Niger.
Operations in areas like the Subri Forest Reserve and Tano Nimri forest have led to the seizure of 17 excavators, one bulldozer, and other equipment, with makeshift mining camps set ablaze to deter further illegal activity.
Yet, the scale of the problem is staggering. According to a study by ISS Africa, between 20,000 and 50,000 people are involved in galamsey, including foreign nationals and large mining firms operating against the law. The environmental toll is even more alarming: major rivers like the Pra, Ankobra, Oti, and Black Volta have turned a muddy brown, contaminated by chemicals like mercury used in gold extraction.
The Ghana Water Company has warned that the country could face severe water scarcity by 2030 if galamsey continues unchecked, with treatment costs soaring—between 2008 and 2023, the company spent GH¢4 million ($257,000) to replace pumps that should have lasted 25 years.
The Human and Economic Cost
Beyond the environmental devastation, galamsey is taking a profound toll on Ghanaian communities. Water pollution has led to a rise in chronic diseases, while deforestation and the destruction of farmlands have crippled cocoa production—a cornerstone of Ghana’s economy.
In the Central Region, the Ghana Water Company has reduced supply to residents in Cape Coast and Elmina by 30%, as pumps struggle to extract water from sand-filled rivers like the Pra. The company now relies on costly chemicals like alum and polymers to treat water, passing the financial burden onto ordinary Ghanaians.
The human cost is equally heartbreaking. Small-scale farmers, whose livelihoods depend on clean water and fertile land, are losing everything. “We can’t farm anymore; the rivers are poison,” a farmer from the Ashanti Region told local media.
Meanwhile, galamsey operators—often driven by poverty and lack of alternative employment—defiantly continue their work. “Whether you burn our equipment or not, we’ll still do galamsey,” one illegal miner stated after a military raid, highlighting the desperation fueling this crisis.
A Legacy on the Line
Mahama’s resolve echoes that of his predecessor, Nana Akufo-Addo, who in 2017 famously said he would put his presidency on the line to fight galamsey. Akufo-Addo’s administration deported 4,500 Chinese miners and established the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Illegal Mining, but the problem persisted. Now,
Mahama faces the same challenge, with critics like private legal practitioner Austin Kwabena Brako-Powers questioning the government’s sincerity. In a scathing Facebook post on April 19, 2025, Brako-Powers warned that Mahama’s legacy after 2028 will be defined by his handling of this crisis, accusing the administration of lacking genuine political will.
Mahama, however, remains defiant. “As far as the fight against galamsey is concerned, I say Aluta Continua,” he asserted, signaling that the struggle continues. His administration’s recent raids, including a joint operation on April 25 involving the police, Immigration Service, Minerals Commission, and Environmental Protection Agency, demonstrate a multi-agency approach. But with rivers turning into chocolate-colored sludge and forests vanishing, the clock is ticking.
A Call to Action
The galamsey crisis is not just a governmental issue—it’s a national one. Ghanaians from all walks of life must demand accountability, not only from their leaders but also from the international companies and foreign nationals profiting from this illegal trade. Communities can play a role by reporting galamsey activities and supporting sustainable alternatives like regulated small-scale mining, which could provide jobs without destroying the environment.
As President Mahama leads this fight, the stakes couldn’t be higher. Ghana’s forests, rivers, and farmlands are the lifeblood of its people, and their destruction threatens not just the present but the future. Will Mahama’s administration turn the tide, or will galamsey become the defining scar on Ghana’s landscape? The answer lies in collective action, unwavering commitment, and a vision for a greener, healthier Ghana.
What can you do? Share this story, raise awareness, and join the conversation on social media using #StopGalamsey. Together, we can pressure policymakers to act decisively and save Ghana’s natural heritage before it’s too late.
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