Ghana Can’t Successfully Fight Galamsey with Committees, Says Small-Scale Miners Association President

The President of the Small-Scale Miners Association, Michael Kwadwo Peprah has emphasized that Ghana’s fight against illegal mining, known as galamsey, cannot be effectively tackled solely through the use of committees.

In an interview on Nkwantannanso with Agudey on June 14, he stressed the need to view galamsey as a critical economic issue that requires strategic solutions to benefit the country as a whole.

“Ghana can never fight galamsey effectively even with committees until it sees the menace as a ‘bread and butter’ issue. Until the situation is managed to the benefit of the country, there is no way to rid the country of it.”

He stressed the importance of addressing galamsey as a matter of livelihood, considering the desperate circumstances that drive individuals to engage in illegal mining.

“Galamsey was in existence even before Ghana existed and even before the colonisers came. People will not stop because it is their means of survival. They would rather die.”

“We should assume and tackle it like a bread and butter thing,” he added.  

He pointed out that in countries like India and Congo, galamsey activities are prevalent but effectively managed to serve the interests of the nation without garnering significant media attention. 

He urged the government to prioritize job creation, particularly in mining communities, as a means to dissuade individuals from resorting to illegal mining.