Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, has sounded the alarm over the catastrophic impact of illegal mining, known as galamsey, on the nation’s forest reserves and water bodies.
Addressing Parliament on Wednesday, he revealed that over 5,000 hectares of forest—equivalent to about 7,500 standard football pitches—had been destroyed due to illegal mining operations.
Describing the situation as alarming, the Minister painted a bleak picture of the tactics used by illegal miners, stating, “Mr. Speaker, the approach adopted by these illegal mining thugs is quite alarming and frightening. They are heavily armed with very sophisticated weapons and very violent, with large numbers of excavators.”
Beyond the deforestation crisis, Mr. Buah emphasized the dire consequences of galamsey on Ghana’s water bodies, noting that turbidity levels have skyrocketed to between 5,000 and 12,000 Nephelometric Turbidity Units (NTU), far exceeding the acceptable limit of 500 NTU.
He condemned the pollution caused by toxic chemicals such as cyanide, mercury, and hydrocarbons, describing it as “utterly unacceptable.”
To combat the crisis, the Minister outlined several urgent interventions, including the deployment of river guards under the Blue Water Initiative, stricter law enforcement measures, and the establishment of a working committee to review mining regulations.
Additionally, he announced plans to revoke Legislative Instrument 2462 to introduce a more responsible legal framework for small-scale mining.
Calling for collective action, Mr. Buah urged all Ghanaians, including Members of Parliament, to unite in the fight against galamsey.
“Mr. Speaker, we owe it to ourselves, our children, and future generations to safeguard our environment and secure a sustainable future for our beloved nation. The time to act is now. Together, we can and must prevail,” he declared.
His passionate appeal comes at a critical time when Ghana’s natural resources and ecosystems face unprecedented threats from illegal mining operations.
