The Acting Chief Justice, Justice Paul Baffoe-Bonnie, has charged government to take bold and far-reaching measures to deal with illegal mining, popularly known as galamsey.
According to the Acting Chief Justice, the menance is an existential threat to Ghana, gnawing at the nation’s heart and causing irreparable damage to the environment, water resources, and agricultural lands.
Justice Paul Baffoe-Bonnie made this call in a speech read on his behalf by Justice Hafisata Amaleboba, a Justice of the Supreme Court at the opening ceremony of the 2025/26 Bar Conference in Wa, the Upper West Regional Bar.
“Indeed, in the years after, galamsey has gotten worse, as the measures we have employed to combat galamsey seem half-hearted and unable to curb this menace, which is a threat to the country’s survival.
“How did we get here as a nation to allow a few selfish and greedy individuals connected to power and influence in society, hold the entire nation and its future to ransom for their benefit?
“And we cannot pretend not to know them in order to bring them to justice and rather arrest, parade, and prosecute those at the lowest rungs of the activity chain,” he said.
“Considering the unspeakable death, pain, and destruction that galamsey has brought to this country, I urge political leadership to take bold and far-reaching measures to bring this menace to a long overdue end,” he stated.
Justice Baffoe-Bonnie emphasized that the country cannot continue to allow small-scale mining in forest reserves and that the time to act is now.
He noted that the effects of galamsey are well-known and well-documented, with rivers like the Pra, Ankobra, and Birim becoming lifeless and murky due to the dumping of waste and the use of toxic chemicals like mercury.
Justice Baffoe-Bonnie expressed concern about the severe water crisis that Ghana may face in the near future if immediate action is not taken to address the problem.
He cited the Ghana Water Company Limited’s warning that the treatment plants currently face a process loss of 35-50%, far exceeding the acceptable level of 5% or less.
The Acting Chief Justice also highlighted the devastating impact of galamsey on agricultural lands, with farmlands being converted to mining sites, contributing to food insecurity and exacerbating poverty in local communities.
social, Economic impact
The Acting Chief Justice’s call to action is not limited to environmental concerns, but also emphasized the social and economic consequences of galamsey, including the displacement of farmers and farmhands, increased poverty, and potential health issues due to contaminated water and mercury exposure.
He noted that the loss of agricultural land and increased cost of living have contributed to higher poverty levels and exacerbated existing economic challenges in galamsey communities.
Security implications
Furthermore, Justice Baffoe-Bonnie highlighted the national security challenges brought about by the menace of galamsey, citing the influx of miners often accompanied by foreign investors, which has been linked to an increase in instances of robbery, violence, and other criminal activities in affected communities.
In light of these challenges, the Acting Chief Justice urged the government to take bold measures to combat galamsey, including repealing L.I. 2462, which permits mining in forest reserves.
He emphasized that the time to act is now, without further delay, and that the country cannot continue to dither in the face of this existential threat.
“We cannot pretend not to know those behind this menace, and we must bring them to justice,” Justice Baffoe-Bonnie said.
“The death that will kill a man begins as an appetite, and we must not allow the greed of a few individuals to hold the entire nation and its future to ransom.”
Story by: Murtala Inusah
