Senior Vice President of IMANI Africa, Kofi Bentil, has warned that Ghana’s economy is dangerously dependent on illegal small-scale mining (galamsey), describing it as an existential threat to the nation’s survival.
Speaking on TV3’s The Key Points on Saturday, Mr. Bentil said galamsey provides livelihoods for millions but is destroying land and water resources on a massive scale.
“We are living with a galamsey economy. It supports between one and four million people, directly or indirectly. That is why it is so difficult to deal with. But it is also destroying our country,” he said.
Mr. Bentil argued that Ghana does not need a declaration of a state of emergency to address the crisis but rather firm political will.
He accused politicians, local authorities, and traditional leaders of benefiting from galamsey and failing to enforce the law.
“There is no political will because those who should stop it are the ones benefiting. Until we see bold, practical steps, all the rhetoric will remain meaningless,” he noted.
Outlining measures the government could take immediately, Mr. Bentil called for a ban on all non-construction excavators, stressing that Ghana has become one of the world’s biggest importers of the machines, most of which are used for environmental destruction. He proposed holding District Chief Executives accountable by removing them from office if galamsey is found in their jurisdictions. He also said chiefs should face consequences, arguing that lands where illegal mining occurs should be nationalized and reverted to the state. In addition, he suggested declaring affected areas as security zones and empowering the military to act decisively.
Mr. Bentil emphasised that the stakes are too high for half measures. “This is killing our people, poisoning water sources, and destroying farmland. Galamsey is not just a local problem; it is a national crisis. Until leaders act, Ghana’s future remains at risk,” he warned.
