Editorial: Shoot To Kill Or Forget About Galamsey Fight!

Ghana, our beloved country, is battling one of the gravest environmental catastrophes in her history, illegal mining, popularly known as galamsey.

This menace has not only ravaged forests, rivers and farmlands; it now threatens the very survival of the nation. What was once treated as a marginal economic activity has grown into a full-blown national emergency.

Ghana’s rivers and streams are under relentless assault as alluvial mining is carried out directly in water bodies, rendering them unwholesome for drinking and domestic use.

Communities are compelled to depend on unsafe alternatives, exposing themselves to waterborne diseases such as typhoid and malaria. This destruction is not merely environmental degradation; it is a public health disaster unfolding before our eyes.

The Ghana Coalition Against Galamsey (GCAG) has revealed that despite the government’s revocation of Legislative Instrument (L.I.) 2462, which barred mining in forest reserves, about 80 percent of Ghana’s forest reserves remain under threat from galamsey activities.

This disturbing statistic exposes a hard truth: repealing laws on paper means little when enforcement is weak, compromised, or deliberately undermined. It paints a bleak picture of Ghana’s environmental governance.

The devastation extends to cocoa, the backbone of Ghana’s economy and a global symbol of quality. Vast swathes of cocoa farms have been seized or destroyed by galamsey operators. This is not just an economic threat; it is a moral crisis. Farmers are being dispossessed, livelihoods destroyed and Ghana’s reputation as a leading cocoa producer recklessly endangered.

Even more alarming are the long-term health consequences. Toxic chemicals such as mercury, cyanide, and cadmium have infiltrated Ghana’s food and water systems. Health experts link galamsey pollution to neurological disorders, cognitive deficits in children, cancers, respiratory and cardiovascular diseases, kidney failure and severe reproductive complications, including miscarriages, stillbirths, and birth defects. In simple terms, Ghana’s future generations are being poisoned.

Yet, despite the scale of this crisis, enforcement remains inconsistent. Political interference and the complicity of some traditional leaders continue to frustrate anti-galamsey efforts. As The Chronicle has reported recently, operations by NAIMOS have suffered logistical setbacks and deliberate obstruction, while the Forestry Commission has repeatedly raised concerns about political interference. These are not isolated incidents; they reflect a systemic failure of political will.

The Chronicle does not need a seer to state the obvious: galamsey is driving Ghana into an environmental, social, and economic abyss. This is not a small-scale nuisance—it is transnational organised crime and a national security threat. Half-measures, polite warnings and bureaucratic delays have only emboldened those destroying the country.

Why should Jubilee House allow the greed of a few to destroy the future of millions? Do those entrusted with leadership truly appreciate the magnitude of the danger? With 80 percent of forest reserves under threat, the state can no longer afford hesitation or political calculations. Failure to act decisively will result in irreversible damage—destroyed forests, poisoned water, collapsed agriculture, and untold human suffering.

It is within this context that The Chronicle aligns with former Member of Parliament for  Bekwai, Joseph Osei Wusu’s call for a shoot?to?kill approach. Ghana must declare war on galamsey. Security agencies must be empowered to use maximum force against these nation?wreckers whose actions have devastating consequences for ordinary Ghanaians. Only a ruthless and uncompromising stance will deter others from joining this destructive enterprise.

That said, such force must be targeted. NAIMOS and other agencies must ensure that innocent citizens are not harmed. Lawful, focused action against those actively engaged in galamsey is not only justified, it is necessary.

Ghana has suffered long enough. Forests, rivers, farms, and communities lie in ruin. The state must act decisively and send an unmistakable message: destroying Ghana’s environment comes at the highest cost. Galamsey must stop now. No excuses. No mercy for those who continue to wreck our nation.

 

 

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