President John Mahama
President John Mahama has admitted that some members of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) are involved in illegal mining, popularly known as ‘galamsey’, as it spans political parties, governments, and traditional authorities who often shift allegiance during change of government.
He said, “Even when one party changes, those who were running some operation will go to the next party and say, ‘now that you have come, come and take over this operation and let’s share. We too will be getting small, this is what we are doing’, and so I don’t kid myself that we don’t have our own people involved,” he added.
The President’s candid remarks highlight the deep entrenchment of galamsey in Ghanaian society and the complexities faced by authorities in enforcing anti-illegal mining laws.
He acknowledged that the National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS) faces strong resistance from communities, where chiefs, youth, and residents often obstruct enforcement efforts.
“They go to a community and the chiefs, the youth and everybody come out and resist them. I don’t kid myself that we will be able to win that fight overnight. But we cannot relent, we must continue,” he said.
President Mahama also linked the rise in illegal mining to economic pressures in the cocoa sector, noting that low producer prices have pushed some farmers to abandon cocoa farming for gold mining.
“And it doesn’t help when we have crisis in the cocoa industry. The low price that was paid to cocoa farmers made some of them give up their farms for gold mining,” he explained.
He stated that the government is introducing a pricing mechanism to ensure farmers receive up to 70% of the global cocoa price, which he hopes will discourage the shift to illegal mining.
The President further mentioned logistical challenges, including the lack of patrol boats and monitoring equipment for waterways and forest reserves. He said the government is working with the Ministries of Finance, Defence, and Interior to provide the necessary resources and facilities to strengthen anti-galamsey operations.
The President, who made the assertion at a meeting with Organised Labour at the Jubilee House in Accra on Tuesday, said though the fight against the practice is challenging, it should not be abandoned.
By Ebenezer K. Amponsah