Gov’t Undermined by Own Officials in Fight Against Illegal Mining, Decentralized Accountability Key to Ending Galamsey, Says ACEP Boss
Ben Boakye, Executive Director of the African Centre for Energy Policy (ACEP), has criticized the government’s efforts in combating illegal mining, commonly known as “galamsey,” attributing its persistence to the involvement of government officials in the illicit practice.
In a post on the micro-blogging platform X on Monday, September 9, Mr Boakye reiterated ACEP’s long-standing observation, dating back to 2017, that many officials tasked with curbing galamsey are, in fact, benefiting from it.
His comments come in the wake of an exposé by investigative journalism media group the Fourth Estate, which implicated several high-ranking members of the ruling party in the promotion of illegal mining.
Notable figures identified in the report include Sam Pyne, Chief Executive of the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA), Bernard Boasiako, Ashanti Regional Chairman of the NPP (also known as Chairman Wontumi), and Francis Owusu-Akyaw, the NPP’s parliamentary candidate for the Juaben Constituency in the 2024 elections.
In his post, Mr Boakye emphasized the hypocrisy of those publicly denouncing galamsey while privately engaging in the environmentally destructive activities. He stressed that the ongoing devastation of rivers, cocoa farms, and the abandonment of dangerous mining pits were being fueled by powerful actors.
For the fight against illegal mining to succeed, Mr Boakye argued that accountability must be decentralized. He called for local leaders, including Chiefs, District Chief Executives, EPA officials, and district security commanders, to take primary responsibility for environmental protection in their areas.
These officials, he further noted, should be required to report their progress to both local communities and the Central Government. He also urged the Central Government to provide logistical and security support to local authorities when needed, but insisted that local accountability is crucial for any lasting solution to the galamsey crisis.
Read Full Details of His Post on X:
We can’t win the Galamsey fight when those fighting it are the beneficiaries. this is what we said in 2017.
“Efforts are currently underway in response to the President’s declaration to tackle the challenges posed by “galamsey” (illegal small-scale mining). The Minister for Lands and Natural Resources has recently imposed a moratorium on licensing for small-scale operators and has frozen all small-scale mining activities. While these actions are steps in the right direction, it is important to acknowledge that similar initiatives by previous governments have not succeeded due to the complexity of the problem.
A significant obstacle to the success of these efforts has been the influence of hidden powers behind illegal mining operations. Many of those who publicly oppose “galamsey” during the day are the very individuals who, under the cover of night, are involved in the destruction of river bodies, the devastation of cocoa farms, and the creation of abandoned pits that pose deadly risks in numerous mining communities. For the current efforts to be effective, accountability must be placed squarely where it belongs.
The battle against “galamsey” cannot be won if those responsible are based in Accra and disconnected from the suffering in affected communities. The Central Government must decentralize accountability, empowering Chiefs, District Chief Executives, local EPA leadership, District Commanders of state security agencies, and other local duty bearers in the sector.
These local leaders must bear primary responsibility for environmental sustainability and be required to report on their performance to both local communities and the Central Government. The Central Government, however, must remain vigilant and provide support to local authorities through security reinforcements and logistical assistance when necessary.”
The leaders saw an opportunity to spend public resources on drone and military deployments, which ended up protecting the elite to mine. Zero commitments.
