IGP Christian Tetteh Yohuno
Ghana is at a pivotal moment in its fight to protect the environment, economy, and national dignity.
This scourge has for years devastated our water bodies, degraded vast tracts of fertile land, and fueled an underground economy that drains the state of its much needed revenue.
The galamsey menace is not just an environmental issue—it is a national security and economic issue. Our rivers; Pra, Ankobra, Offin, and many others are turning into lifeless channels of sludge. Our forests are being razed and our farmlands poisoned with mercury and cyanide. Communities have lost access to clean water as food security is being threatened, destabilising many homes.
Beyond these visible scars lie a more insidious damage to our national economy. Illegal mining bypasses formal channels, leading to massive revenue losses through unregulated gold exports. This undermines our ability to earn foreign exchange, weakens the Bank of Ghana’s reserves, and contributes to the volatility of the Ghanaian Cedi.
But for the first time in years, Ghanaians are witnessing clear, determined, and consistent state-led action against this menace.
At the forefront of this battle is the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Christian Tetteh Yohuno, whose leadership has ignited a renewed, bold, and unapologetic war against galamsey.
Since assuming office, IGP Yohuno has led the Ghana Police Service (GPS) to conduct a series of high impact, intelligence-led operations aimed at dismantling galamsey networks across several parts of the country. These operations have not just been reactive responses but part of a carefully coordinated national strategy.
In the past few weeks, multiple illegal mining sites have been stormed by special police task forces, resulting in many arrests, the seizure of heavy-duty machinery, and the destruction of illegal mining equipment. These actions send a powerful message: that the GPS is no longer content to be a passive observer in the destruction of our nation’s future.
These actions are sustained, boots-on-the-ground operations carried out by committed officers who are taking significant risks to confront powerful and sometimes violent networks.
It is within this context that the IGP’s campaign takes on added significance. His actions, though primarily aimed at restoring law and order, are invariably contributing to broader economic stability. With illegal mining networks disrupted and illicit gold exports curtailed, legitimate gold sales are gradually increasing. The GoldBod, established under President John Dramani Mahama, has intensified its operations to ensure that all legally mined gold are sold through the Board. This process enhances transparency, boosts state revenue, and supports the value of the Cedi. Indeed, Ghana’s currency has shown modest signs of recovery, and this is no coincidence.
What we are witnessing is a model of institutional synergy- a police service that enforces the law fearlessly, and a regulatory body (GoldBod)Â that ensures compliance in the mining sector.
It is, however, crucial that this momentum is not lost. The Police must not relent. The fight against galamsey is a long one, and the road ahead is fraught with resistance.
Galamsey operations are often backed by powerful political and financial interests, and dismantling these networks will require sustained resolve and insulation from political interference. IGP Yohuno and his commanders deserve the full backing of the state and the unflinching support of the Ghanaian people.
The government must also step up with logistics, funding, and policy reinforcement. Without adequate support, even the most determined police officers will be limited in their capacity to act. It is time to treat illegal mining not as a peripheral issue but as a national emergency deserving of an immediate government response.
Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), traditional leaders, and the media also have critical roles to play.
Communities must be educated on the long-term dangers of galamsey and empowered to resist it. Chiefs must refuse to lease lands for illegal mining activities and the media must continue to expose the damage galamsey causes, while amplifying the gains made by the police and other state actors.
At this point, particular praise must be given to courageous journalists such as Erasmus Asare Donkor, of multimedia, whose fearless reportage from these police operations have brought national attention to the real cost of the menace. He has indeed inspired collective outrage and action. Ghana owes such journalists a debt of gratitude for their service to truth and national development.
To every Ghanaian reading this — now is the time to rally behind the police. Let us reject the false narrative that galamsey is a necessary evil. It is not. It is a destructive, short-sighted enterprise that mortgages our future for the temporary benefit of a few.
We must choose water over gold, forests over fortune, and national survival over personal gain. This war will not be won in a day, but it will be won — if we all commit to it together.
The drumbeat has changed — thanks to IGP Yohuno. It’s time we all danced to the rhythm of national renewal.
By Neenyi Essiful, Accra