President John Dramani Mahama is slated to meet with leading civil society organizations on Friday in a bid to strengthen the national response to illegal mining, known locally as galamsey, which has devastated swaths of the country’s environment and water systems.
The meeting, set for October 3, brings together a cross-section of influential religious and civic bodies, including the Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference, the Christian Council of Ghana, the Ghana Pentecostal and Charismatic Council, the Office of the Chief Imam, Ghana Muslim Mission, as well as policy think tanks such as Arocha Ghana and IMANI Ghana.
According to presidential aide Dr. Sammy Ayeh, the session is designed as a platform for stakeholders to propose actionable strategies to reinforce the government’s existing anti-galamsey measures.
“The government believes the fight against illegal mining is a shared responsibility,” Dr. Ayeh said. “We are looking to deepen collaboration with faith-based and civil society organisations as part of a broader, more inclusive approach.”
Illegal mining has long plagued Ghana’s gold-rich regions, contributing to river pollution, deforestation, and conflicts with local communities. While successive administrations have launched crackdowns, critics argue enforcement has been uneven and often politicized.
Dr. Ayeh pointed to recent policy shifts—including steps to repeal Legislative Instrument 2462, a controversial mining regulation—as evidence of progress. He emphasized that the administration has ramped up both operational and legislative interventions, though acknowledged that long-term success hinges on sustained public engagement.
The decision to involve civil society groups has drawn a mixed reception. Some analysts welcome it as a pragmatic attempt to broaden support for a notoriously intractable issue. Others remain skeptical, warning that without clear benchmarks or enforcement mechanisms, the meeting could amount to little more than political theatre.
Still, the initiative has drawn cautious endorsements from some traditional leaders. Dormaahene Osagyefo Oseadeeyo Agyeman Badu II, a prominent Ghanaian chief, described the effort as “a step in the right direction.”
The administration is under growing pressure to demonstrate tangible results in the galamsey fight, especially as environmental degradation continues to raise alarms among both domestic and international observers.
