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Ibrahim Murtala Mohammed, the Minister-Designate for Environment, Science, and Technology, has argued that the fight against illegal mining (galamsey) should be spearheaded by his ministry rather than the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources.
During his vetting on Thursday, January 29, the Tamale Central MP raised concerns over the current approach, suggesting that the Ministry of Lands has been accused—rightly or wrongly—of being complicit in the illegal mining menace and should not lead efforts to combat it.
“If you ask me my personal view, I think the issue of fighting galamsey should be led by the Ministry of Environment, not the Ministry of Lands,” he stated. “The Ministry of Lands has been accused of being a participant in the galamsey menace, so it shouldn’t be taking the lead.”
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Murtala Mohammed emphasised that illegal mining is primarily an environmental issue, citing its destruction of water bodies, forests, and farmlands. He insisted that because the environmental impact is at the core of the problem, the Ministry of Environment should take charge.
“The reason galamsey is a major issue is because of the destruction of the environment and its consequences on livelihoods. Therefore, the Ministry of Environment should play a lead role in addressing this,” he asserted.
He also criticized the exclusion of the Ministry of Environment from the previous inter-ministerial committee set up to tackle galamsey. According to him, sidelining the ministry responsible for environmental protection was a flawed approach.
“It was mind-boggling that the Ministry of Environment, Science, and Technology was not even on that committee,” he remarked.
His comments come at a time when Ghana continues to struggle with the environmental and economic consequences of illegal mining, with calls for more effective strategies to combat the menace.
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