Government Deliberately Failing to Tackle Galamsey – A Rocha Ghana Alleges

“Why is it that we’ve been talking about a state of emergency, strategy that will nib the impunity of people mining in our forest reserves and our rivers in the bud? Somebody will say one touch, but they have just deliberately refused,” Bosu said.

He drew comparisons between the government’s lax response to illegal mining and how it would respond to threats involving armed groups or national security, stating that illegal miners have been handled with “kid gloves” despite the scale of the damage.

According to Bosu, the government’s failure to act robustly contradicts its own pre-election promises and has enabled galamsey to flourish under its watch. “There is certainly some deliberate government complicity in not dealing with this matter so their people can feed,” he alleged.

Bosu further suggested that partisan interests are being prioritised over environmental protection and the wellbeing of communities affected by illegal mining.

The remarks come at a time when concerns about illegal mining are once again dominating national discourse. Rivers and farmlands across the country continue to suffer degradation, despite repeated government assurances of cracking down on the practice.

Environmental groups and concerned citizens have repeatedly called for a comprehensive and sustained strategy to deal with galamsey, including stricter enforcement, community engagement, and transparent regulation of small-scale mining.