Fighting galamsey must be now or never – CENS Africa warns

The Executive Director of the Center for Environment, Natural Resources and Sustainability (CENS Africa), Paa Kwesi Eduaful Abaidoo, has issued a stern call for immediate and decisive action against illegal mining, popularly known as galamsey.

Speaking on ABC Midday News on Friday, Mr. Abaidoo described the situation as an “existential threat” to Ghana’s environment and future.

“Fighting galamsey must be now or never,” he stressed, adding that further delays only embolden perpetrators and deepen the damage to the country’s land, forests, and water resources.

His remarks come in the wake of growing public frustration, including strong criticism from Organised Labour, which recently expressed disappointment in the worsening state of environmental degradation under President John Mahama’s administration.

Despite government efforts, stakeholders argue that galamsey operations continue to ravage the landscape unchecked. Organised Labour has called on the government to demonstrate stronger political will and intensify its enforcement measures to reverse the trend.

President Mahama, while addressing workers at the May Day celebration at Black Star Square, acknowledged the complexity of the galamsey issue but reaffirmed his commitment to tackling it head-on.

“The fight is complex, but I say aluta continua,” the President stated, clarifying that he never believed the problem could be resolved within his first few months in office.