The Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Chamber of Mines, Ing. Dr. Kenneth Ashigbey has called for swift and decisive action from the state to address lapses in the enforcement of mining laws and tackle the growing menace of illegal mining (galamsey) across the country.
His remarks were made during the opening of a two-day seminar on Mining Laws and Mine Security, organized by the Chamber for judges, prosecutors, and police investigators in Takoradi.
Dr. Ashigbey underscored the urgent need for a stricter legal response to illegal mining, warning that the scourge continues to erode the nation’s forest reserves, pollute rivers with mercury, and undermine legal mining operations. He expressed frustration over the weak prosecution of offenders and questioned why chemicals outlawed under the Minamata Convention continue to be imported and used with impunity.
“These chemicals are non-biodegradable; who are those bringing them into the country even against the Minamata Convention; and we cannot trace, arrest and prosecute?”
Call to Reopen Assault Case Involving Citi FM Journalist
Dr. Ashigbey referenced the 2023 assault on Citi FM journalist Akwasi Agyei Annim by suspected illegal miners in Wassa Amenfi West. He urged the Attorney General to reopen the case and review the charges brought against the accused.
“It is important that in this particular case, the Attorney General goes back to look into what charges were brought,” Dr. Ashigbey stated. “How do we allow someone arrested for attacking a journalist at an illegal mining site to walk free with only a charge of assault, when clear violations of the Minerals and Mining Act (Act 703 and Act 995) occurred?”
He appealed to the Attorney General and the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) to pursue the matter and ensure that justice is served.
Call for Accountability Among Public Officials
Dr. Ashigbey further called for sanctions against Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs), as well as local police commanders in jurisdictions where illegal mining is rampant. He suggested that their inaction or complicity has allowed galamsey to flourish, compromising both the environment and the rule of law.
He stressed the need for improved institutional coordination and a deliberate national effort to disrupt the galamsey economy and reinforce compliance with Ghana’s mining laws.
Judiciary’s Role in Protecting the Ecosystem
Addressing the seminar participants, His Lordship Justice Tanko Amadu, Justice of the Supreme Court and Director of the Judicial Training Institute, described illegal mining as an existential threat comparable to a nuclear disaster, warning that Ghana’s ecosystem is in dire jeopardy.
Justice Amadu emphasized the relevance of Ghana’s legal instruments, particularly the Minerals and Mining Act, 2006 (Act 703), and called for deeper reflection on global mechanisms to enhance ecological protection, intergenerational equity, and community participation in natural resource governance.
Chamber’s Commitment to Legal Education and Reform
The Chamber reaffirmed its commitment to working with the judiciary, law enforcement, and policymakers to build a robust regulatory environment that supports responsible, transparent, and sustainable mining.
“The future of our mining sector depends on our collective courage to enforce the law, dismantle illegal networks, and empower communities through formalized, responsible mining practices,” Dr. Ashigbey concluded.