Back fight to end illegal mining – Lands Minister urges editors

The Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Armah-Kofi Buah, has urged the media to lead the fight against illegal mining, known as galamsey.

He warned that Ghana's forest reserves and water bodies are in serious danger. Without urgent action, he said, the nation's existence could be at risk.

“The media is critical in this battle,” Mr. Buah stated. He acknowledged their role in exposing illegal activities and sought their support.

He emphasized that this challenge requires a united national effort. “This is not a partisan fight,” he said. All Ghanaians must come together to stop illegal mining.

Illegal mining poses a major environmental threat in Ghana. It degrades vast areas of forest land and contaminates rivers like the Pra, Ankobra, and Offin.

The Water Resources Commission reported alarming turbidity levels in key water sources. Some levels have risen from 500 NTU to as high as 12,000 NTU.

This pollution makes water treatment difficult and costly. The Ghana Water Company warned that some treatment plants may shut down if pollution continues.

This would threaten access to clean drinking water for millions of people. The environmental damage includes destroyed forests and farmlands due to unregulated mining.

Harmful chemicals like mercury and cyanide have poisoned soil and water sources. This affects agriculture and biodiversity significantly.

Health experts link rising birth defects, kidney diseases, and respiratory issues to toxic exposure.

Mr. Buah outlined key reforms to address these challenges, including decentralizing licensing for small-scale mining.

A new framework will allow district committees to review mining licenses. The District Security Committee (DISEC) will expand its membership for better oversight.

“This reform ensures local stakeholders are involved in licensing decisions,” Mr. Buah explained. This aims to reduce conflicts and backdoor deals.

District Chief Executives (DCEs) will oversee best management practices in their areas under proposed reforms. Their performance will be evaluated based on their ability to curb illegal mining activities.

To enhance community engagement, new mining cooperatives will form with local representatives managing activities transparently.

“The days of top-down decision-making are over,” he stated about community involvement in applications and funds management.

The Minister announced changes in security oversight too. District police commanders in mining areas will transfer every five years to prevent corruption.

“We are intensifying military operations in forest reserves,” he noted about reversing previous lapses allowing illegal miners into nine forest areas.

The Minerals Commission has launched a digital monitoring system for real-time tracking of excavators and operations. This measure will expand into forest reserves for better surveillance.

Mr. Buah stressed that government reforms alone won't suffice; media advocacy is essential for public support too.

“This fight cannot be won secretly,” he said, emphasizing the need for public awareness about the situation's seriousness.

Ghana loses around 120,000 hectares of forest cover annually due to poor farming practices, illegal mining, and logging activities.

So far, 44 out of 280 forest reserves have been lost due to these issues.

Socially, illegal mining has caused land ownership conflicts among communities leading to violent clashes between miners and residents.

Reports also indicate child labor issues linked with galamsey operations causing school dropouts due to quick money temptations.

Despite these challenges, gold remains vital for Ghana’s economy contributing significantly to foreign exchange earnings.

Gold accounts for over 40 percent of total export revenues stabilizing the economy while generating substantial tax revenue through various levies paid by companies.

Gold mining supports thousands of jobs across Ghana directly or indirectly through large-scale companies employing many Ghanaians.

Small-scale sectors provide livelihoods for an estimated one million people nationwide.

Editors praised the Minister's commitment towards ending illegal mining during their meeting with him.

They pledged transparency along with consistent updates on progress while urging patriotic collaboration for success against galamsey operations.