Galamsey: Ghana still faces national emergency, says Awula Serwah

The Executive Director of Eco-Conscious Citizens, Awula Serwah, has warned that Ghana remains in a national emergency over illegal mining, arguing that current interventions have yet to deliver the environmental progress needed to protect the country’s natural resources.

She said that despite government claims of arrests, equipment seizures and plans to reclaim degraded lands, illegal mining continued to threaten rivers, forests and farmlands across the country.

Speaking on JoyNews’ Newsfile programme on Saturday, October 31, Ms Serwah questioned the impact of enforcement measures, particularly the prosecution of influential individuals allegedly connected to illegal mining.

“We talk about arrest, but how many politically connected persons or so-called high fliers have actually been arrested and prosecuted?” she asked.

She also expressed concern that chanfang machines remained on water bodies while excavators continued to enter and leave the country, raising questions about the effectiveness of efforts to prevent illegal mining operations from resuming.

Ms Serwah further questioned the government’s proposed land reclamation programme, asking what reclamation would entail in practical terms and whether it would result in lasting environmental recovery.

“From where we are sitting and our activists up and down the country, we cannot say that things have become better and we still face a national emergency and we are still on the verge of an ecological catastrophe,” she said.

Her concerns come after President John Dramani Mahama announced that more than 8,200 items linked to illegal mining had been confiscated, including 135 excavators and nearly 200 firearms.

The President has also outlined plans to reclaim 5,000 acres of degraded land from 2027, with GH¢200 million allocated to the exercise. The plans also include expanded river protection operations and sustained enforcement in areas cleared of illegal miners.

However, Ms Serwah said the continued destruction of water bodies and other ecosystems meant Ghana could not yet declare victory in the fight against galamsey.

She is calling for stronger accountability and evidence that government interventions are producing sustainable results.