Illegal small-scale mining, locally known as galamsey, continues to threaten Ghanaโs environment, health, and livelihoods despite years of crackdowns. Paul Benie writes that lasting solutions lie not only in enforcement but in sustainable strategies that combine formalisation, alternative livelihoods, technology, community engagement, and environmental restoration.
Introduction
Illegal small-scale mining, popularly known as galamsey, remains one of the greatest environmental and socio-economic challenges in Ghana. It has destroyed water bodies, degraded farmlands, endangered public health, and disrupted livelihoods across the country.
Despite numerous attempts to curb the practice, including military-led crackdowns, galamsey persists. The persistence is largely fueled by unemployment, poverty, weak monitoring, and the involvement of influential financiers.
This makes it clear that a purely enforcement-based approach cannot solve the problem. What is needed is a comprehensive, sustainable, and multi-pronged strategy that addresses both the root causes and the destructive impacts of galamsey.
Formalising and Regulating Small-Scale Mining
Simplifying the licensing process for artisanal miners will encourage them to operate legally rather than underground. Creating well-demarcated community mining zones, supported with clear environmental standards, will provide safer spaces for operations.
Training miners in mercury-free and eco-friendly techniques, together with the establishment of local cooperatives, will make monitoring more practical and ensure accountability at the grassroots level.
Creating Alternative Livelihoods
Ghana must provide alternative livelihood programmes to reduce dependency on illegal mining. Expanding agriculture in crops such as cocoa, rice, cassava, and palm oil, with better extension services, can generate income for rural communities.
Eco-tourism and community-based industries should also be supported to diversify local economies. Youth entrepreneurship must be encouraged through microfinance schemes and vocational training, ensuring that employment options exist outside of mining.
Enforcement Through Technology and Transparency
Technology and enforcement should play a stronger role. Deploying drones, GIS mapping, and satellite imagery can help authorities track mining activities in real time. A joint task force of police, military, and trained local volunteers can ensure rapid response to illegal activities. However, enforcement must go beyond targeting small-scale miners.
Financiers and equipment suppliers must face strict sanctions, including prosecution and the seizure of assets. To build public trust, outcomes of arrests and penalties should be published for all to see.
Community Engagement and Environmental Education
Sustainable change cannot happen without community participation and education. Chiefs, elders, and local assemblies must be engaged in protecting water bodies and lands. Public awareness campaigns are needed to highlight the health risks of polluted rivers and degraded lands.
Schools can play a vital role by introducing environmental clubs that instill conservation values in the next generation. Giving communities a voice in mining-related decisions will reduce resistance and foster cooperation.
Media Visibility and Awareness
A nationwide awareness campaign is also crucial. Regular media reports showing the destruction of rivers and farmlands, along with interviews from affected families, will keep the issue in the public eye. Continuous visibility sustains pressure on policymakers and prevents the issue from fading into the background.
Incentives for Environmental Protection
Communities that actively protect their environment should be rewarded. Introducing Green District Awards, providing development projects such as schools and boreholes, and offering scholarships and employment grants will turn environmental protection into a source of pride and opportunity rather than punishment. Incentives are often more effective in winning hearts than sanctions.
Rehabilitation and Reclamation
Destroyed lands must not be left barren. A rehabilitation and reclamation programme should focus on reforestation with bamboo, cocoa, and agroforestry initiatives. Soil restoration and irrigation projects will revive agriculture, while water treatment plants can help restore polluted rivers such as the Pra, Ankobra, and Offin. Mining companies should be required to contribute to a national Restoration Fund dedicated to this purpose.
Conclusion
Fighting galamsey sustainably requires much more than military action. Ghana must adopt a balanced framework that combines formalisation, livelihood alternatives, technological monitoring, community empowerment, public awareness, and incentive-driven development. By doing so, the nation can provide better pathways to prosperity while safeguarding its environment for future generations.
About Paul Benie
Paul Benie holds a Master of Science degree in Data Science and a Bachelor of Science degree in Geomatic Engineering. Currently based in the United Kingdom, he combines expertise in spatial sciences and advanced data analytics to provide innovative, data-driven solutions.
