The Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources has downplayed calls for an immediate end to illegal mining, insisting that no government, regardless of resources, can reverse years of environmental damage in just six months.
Speaking to ABC News GH on Monday, June 23, 2025, Media Relations Officer Paa Kwesi Schandorf highlighted the scale of devastation, likening the destruction to “the equivalent of about 7,500 football pitches.”
He stressed, “How can any government, no matter how resourceful they may be, restore that depletion in a matter of six months?”
Schandorf further argued that simply declaring a state of emergency without concrete reforms would be ineffective.
“If you declare a state of emergency without the accompanying policies, then it’s not going anywhere,” he noted.
He emphasized that the government’s strategy is focused on lasting solutions rather than quick fixes, beginning with a complete overhaul of the licensing regime.
“We are reforming that whole regime, which includes the withdrawal of licenses and tightening the mechanism,” he said.
As part of a comprehensive approach, the Ministry is pursuing five key policy pillars: reformation, reclamation, provision of alternative livelihoods, deepening education, and enhanced security enforcement.
Schandorf pointed to the ongoing “Tree for Life” campaign as evidence that restoration efforts are underway.
He also revealed that a possible review of existing mining laws is being considered to give teeth to enforcement.
“We are following a procedure,” he concluded, defending the government’s pace and commitment to tackling the galamsey crisis sustainably.
