Ghana needs a recovery plan, not just a galamsey crackdown – Kofi Bentil
Legal and policy analyst Kofi Bentil has called for a shift in Ghana’s fight against illegal small-scale mining (galamsey), arguing that the country cannot win the battle through enforcement alone. Instead, he urged the government to prioritize land restoration and sustainable alternatives for communities dependent on illegal mining.
Speaking on JoyNews’ Newsfile on Saturday, Bentil said successive governments have focused too much on stopping galamsey without addressing the larger issues of economic survival and environmental destruction. He warned that without a clear recovery plan, even the most aggressive crackdowns would not bring lasting change.
“Gold has a way of driving people mad. From history, people have killed and died for it. When we see individuals risking their lives for gold, we must understand that this is not just a law enforcement issue. If we think arrests and military deployments alone will solve this, we are mistaken,” he cautioned on February 8, 2025.
Bentil’s comments follow President John Mahama’s renewed commitment to ending galamsey, a pledge he reiterated earlier this week. While acknowledging the President’s intentions, Bentil stressed that Ghana must take the environmental consequences just as seriously as enforcement efforts.
He expressed concern over the severe health risks associated with illegal mining, citing cases of miners handling toxic mercury with their bare hands, unaware of the long-term damage to their health. He also lamented the destruction of rivers and forests, which could take decades to recover without intervention.
“We have not taken recovery seriously enough. We keep talking about stopping galamsey, but what happens next? Maybe we won’t be able to eliminate it in the next 10 years, but we should have a national plan for restoring the land and water bodies we have already lost,” he stressed.
According to Bentil, any real solution must go beyond policing illegal mining sites. He called for an integrated approach that includes tougher environmental regulations, a structured land restoration program, and viable economic opportunities for people currently engaged in galamsey.
“People are not just mining illegally because they want to; for many, it is their only means of survival. If we don’t create sustainable alternatives, the problem will never go away,” he pointed out.
While he wished President Mahama well in his efforts, Bentil insisted that without a concrete recovery strategy, Ghana risks repeating past failures. He urged policymakers to take a long-term view and invest in sustainable solutions that would protect both the economy and the environment.
Source: Hannah Addae
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