Galamsey fight impressive so far – NDC Communicator

A member of the Chiana-Paga National Democratic Congress (NDC) Communications Team, James Badaare has described the government’s fight against illegal small-scale mining, popularly known as galamsey, as impressive, although he admits more work remains to be done.

Speaking on the Big Mike Breakfast Show on Wednesday October 21, 2 Badaare said President John Dramani Mahama was right to brief the nation on efforts to combat illegal mining, which he described as a long-standing and increasingly destructive national problem.

He said the menace had persisted for decades and had become so deeply entrenched that tackling it required sustained and coordinated interventions.

Badaare disclosed that, out of Ghana’s over 200 forest reserves, about 44 had been encroached upon as of 2024, with nine designated as red zones where interventions had become particularly difficult.

According to him, all nine areas had been reclaimed since January 2025, with permanent military camps established to protect them. He said the camps were being manned by military personnel and Blue Water Guards to prevent further encroachment.

On enforcement, Badaare said the government had seized about 135 excavators and more than 200 firearms, alongside other equipment used for illegal mining.

He explained that the measures taken against seized equipment included burning, immobilising and confiscating the machines, depending on the circumstances.

However, he cautioned that confiscating mining equipment alone would not end the menace, arguing that some machines could be manufactured locally or replaced by operators who remained determined to continue illegal mining.

“If you do not deal with the person behind the activity, he will simply go and procure another machine,” he argued.

Badaare said the government had also strengthened security in mining-prone areas through the establishment of security zones and the deployment of the National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS), alongside the Blue Water Guards, to protect water bodies.

On regulation, he said the government was tightening controls on the importation and tracking of excavators, noting that Ghana did not manufacture the machines locally.

He explained that import permits and the registration and tracking of excavators were intended to help authorities monitor their movements and identify machines diverted for illegal mining.

According to him, the tracking system could enable authorities to detect when an excavator was moved to an area for illegal mining activities and take action against those responsible.

Badaare further highlighted land reclamation as a key component of the government’s response, citing interventions in degraded areas, including the Jimira Forest Reserve and the Tano Numiri area.

He said the Ghana Gold Board (GoldBod) had contracted the military for reclamation work, adding that GH¢200 million had been earmarked by the President for the exercise. He also cited the government’s Tree for Life programme as part of efforts to restore degraded lands.

Beyond enforcement and reclamation, Badaare said the government was promoting alternative livelihoods, responsible corporate mining and skills development to help transition artisanal miners into regulated operations.

He urged political actors to refrain from politicising the galamsey menace, stressing that its consequences affected the entire country.

Badaare maintained that the government’s interventions deserved commendation, even though more needed to be done to achieve its objectives.

However, he criticised the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP), recalling former President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo’s pledge to put his presidency on the line in the fight against illegal mining.

He argued that the former president had failed to live up to that commitment and described it as ironic for the NPP to criticise the current government’s handling of galamsey.

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