CSO Says Weak Mining Regulations Fuel Illegal Mining Menace 

The uncurbed rise of illegal mining referred to by locals as "galamsey continues to persist in Ghana, destroying the environment, amidst desperate expressions of worry from a host of civil society organizations. Key groups, including the Wassa Association of Communities Affected by Mining, the Centre for Public Interest Law, and the Centre for Environmental Impact Analysis have pointed to poor mining laws, more specifically the Minerals and Mining Act, 2006 (Act 703), as the source of irresponsible mining practices across the nation.

These CSOs further averred that the law does not make multinational mining companies liable for the destruction of environmental resources, including the toxic spill of cyanides into rivers, which exposes local communities to serious health hazards. They also averred that the prevailing law did not protect the rights of communities being forcefully taken off their homes by mining interests: "Many of the farmers receive small compensations and are then forced into economic destitution, with many families becoming dependent on dangerous small-scale mining operations.".

The extent of the destructive effect that galamsey has on water bodies, farmlands, and forest reserves is inestimable. Communities that once depended largely on agriculture have now been engulfed in abject poverty; many people have engaged in illegal mining as the only way out. In the absence of strong enforcement mechanisms, this illicit activity has been allowed to flourish.

They also want holistic reform of mining laws. The demands include a bipartisan campaign against galamsey, a ban on the issuance of new licenses for mining, and collective citizens' actions spearheaded by traditional authorities, the media, and religious leaders to force the government to honor its commitment to the protection of the environment.

While initiatives such as "Operation Halt" by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo may have been inaugurated to try and stop the illegal mining, CSOs are of the view that strong, effective action needs to be taken to root out the causes and help Ghana preserve its natural resources for generations yet unborn.