Addressing the Root Causes of Illegal Mining in Ghana
Ghana is facing a growing crisis due to illegal mining, commonly referred to as galamsey. Mr Kwadwo Kyei Yamoah, the Executive Director of the Human Environment and Livelihood Platform (HELP) Foundation Africa, has emphasized that the country must focus on the key players behind this issue—kingpins, financiers, and politicians.
Yamoah stated, “We must follow the money, not the shovel; it’s the only way to end the crises of galamsey at its source.” He explained that stopping one financier could lead to the closure of dozens of illegal mining sites. By targeting political sponsors, accountability can be restored, and deterrence can be achieved. Cutting off the top of the chain would cripple the system’s ability to function effectively.
He pointed out that kingpins and financiers are the real drivers and beneficiaries of the galamsey industry, not the impoverished youth seen digging in the mud. These individuals supply the capital, excavators, fuel, and mercury used in illegal mining. Without their funding and logistics, small-scale miners cannot sustain their activities. Politicians and local elites often protect these networks by using their influence to block enforcement or tip off miners before raids.
Yamoah noted that these actors perpetuate corruption and political protection. Many politicians and local power brokers receive direct or indirect benefits, including campaign funding or mining proceeds from galamsey financiers. This creates a cycle of political protection that weakens enforcement and breeds impunity. When leaders are seen protecting galamsey actors, public trust in governance collapses, and honest enforcement officers become demoralized.
Industrial-scale illegal operations backed by powerful financiers use heavy machinery and chemicals that devastate rivers, forests, and farmlands more than local artisanal miners. Yamoah stressed that these well-financed sites are the main sources of river siltation, mercury pollution, and deforestation. Therefore, stopping financiers and equipment suppliers would have the greatest environmental impact.
Galamsey thrives because it is profitable and low-risk for financiers and politicians. Ordinary miners are paid daily wages, while profits flow to the top, often laundered into legal businesses. By tracking and seizing illegal proceeds, prosecuting financiers, and exposing political beneficiaries, the state can make galamsey economically unviable.
Targeting the financiers would ensure fairness and deterrence. Yamoah explained that enforcement often unfairly targets poor miners while those in power remain untouched, which fuels resentment, social injustice, and community distrust of state authorities. Prosecuting the top actors shows that the law applies equally and deters others from entering the illegal trade.
He called for coordination between security agencies, financial intelligence units, and anti-corruption bodies. This would strengthen institutions, promote inter-agency cooperation, and build a sustainable governance system against natural resource crimes.
Ghana’s environmental, climate, and mining reforms are undermined by illegal mining networks. Tackling the high-level actors shows a commitment to sustainable resource management, climate resilience, and SDG targets on clean water, life on land, and governance. Combating galamsey effectively means dismantling the networks of power, money, and protection that sustain it.