President John Dramani Mahama is expected to host a high-level stakeholder meeting with civil society organisations (CSOs) and key national actors today, Friday, October 3, as part of renewed efforts to find sustainable solutions to the persistent devastation caused by illegal mining, popularly known as galamsey.
The crucial engagement at the Jubilee House will bring together influential groups including the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Ghana, the Christian Council of Ghana, the Ghana Pentecostal and Charismatic Council, the Office of the Chief Imam, the Ghana Muslim Mission, Arocha Ghana, and IMANI Ghana, among others.
The meeting aims to provide a platform for stakeholders to share perspectives, propose actionable strategies, and complement ongoing government interventions to curb the menace, which has left vast tracts of land and water bodies polluted.
Presidential Aide Dr Sammy Ayeh stressed that the administration views the fight against galamsey as a shared national responsibility.
“The purpose of the meeting is for the government to receive feedback, strategies, and suggestions from these organisations and institutions to complement the efforts already in place to end galamsey,” Dr Ayeh explained.
“Since the inception of this government, significant milestones have been chalked up. From operational to legislative measures, we have seen steps put in place to repeal LI 2462, which had become a bone of contention.”
He added that, while the government has intensified operational and legislative reforms, collaboration with faith-based groups and civil society remains critical in sustaining gains made in the fight against illegal mining.
“The government believes that the fight against galamsey is a collective one,” he emphasised.
The decision to convene the meeting has received mixed public reactions. Some groups have welcomed the move as a constructive step toward inclusive policymaking, while others fear it may end up being “more talk than action”.
The Dormaahene, Osagyefo Oseadeeyo Agyeman Badu II, described the initiative as “a step in the right direction”, urging all parties to approach the discussions with sincerity and urgency.
However, Franklin Cudjoe, President of IMANI Africa, expressed scepticism, criticising what he views as the government’s over-reliance on dialogue rather than concrete enforcement.
Galamsey has over the years remained one of Ghana’s most pressing environmental challenges, causing widespread river pollution, land degradation, and community displacement. Successive governments have pledged to tackle the problem, but illegal operations continue to thrive, often driven by complex networks of political, economic, and local interests.
Today’s meeting is expected to set the tone for a new phase of inclusive action, as government seeks to balance enforcement with collaboration, drawing on the influence and grassroots reach of civil society and religious organisations.
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