Excavator operator films police officers taking 'chop money' from illegal miners

An excavator operator at an illegal mining site has released a video showing a group of armed police officers arriving in a pickup truck, allegedly seeking what he referred to as “chop money” to allow the mining activities to proceed.

In the video, the young excavator operator indicated that police officers frequently visit the illegal mining site during the galamseyers' breaks to collect money, allowing them to resume their operations. This practice occurs despite growing public outcry and governmental efforts to eradicate the galamsey menace, highlighting concerns about police complicity in these illegal activities.

“Let’s watch this, we’ve seen that there’s a car approaching. They’re coming to the galamsey site. They’re both using the police car today. It seems they took someone’s car to come and collect chop money. Whenever we are on break, they come to the site to collect money,” he said.

He further claimed that another group of officers had visited the site the day before, demanding a payment of GHS 20,000.

“When they came, do you know the amount they took? You will be shocked. The initial people that came took GHC20,000. For these people, I have no idea how much they took from the foreman,” he stated.

Galamsey, or illegal small-scale mining, has been a persistent and escalating issue in Ghana, gaining popularity due to a combination of economic, social, and regulatory factors. Despite government initiatives to regulate these activities, illicit mining persists, primarily due to high unemployment rates and the destitution faced by local communities.

The international community has expressed significant concern regarding the galamsey crisis in Ghana, emphasising its severe environmental and health implications. Notably, United Nations human rights activists have urged the Ghanaian government to declare a state of emergency on illegal mining. They highlight the urgent need to address the contamination of water bodies caused by the use of harmful chemicals such as mercury and cyanide, which pose serious health risks, including neurological disorders and other diseases.

Various stakeholders, including civil society organisations, have voiced their dissatisfaction with the government's insufficient enforcement of mining regulations and the persistent ecological degradation resulting from galamsey activities. They stress that the livelihoods of communities relying on pure water sources are also at risk due to the ongoing illegal mining, which threatens local ecosystems.

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