Part III focused on the impact of some administrative, legal and socio-cultural factors in the nation’s quest to eradicate galamsey or reduce its effects to the barest minimum.
Part IV aims to delve into the roles of the Executive, the Military, and the media in the galamsey crusade.
It is crucial that the government streamline the laws on regulating the operations of small scale miners. Some legal reforms have been proposed in the previous write-ups. Key among them being amendments to the relevant legislations regulating the operations of small scale miners and the setting up of galamsey courts.
The government should also create an enabling environment for all actors in the small scale mining conundrum to play their part in the search for a peaceful and lasting solution.
To achieve this and the proposed legal reforms, the government should consider organizing a national forum or convention modelled along the lines of the Negotiating Forum of South Africa that took place between April – November 1993. This was the vehicle that transitioned South Africa ‘peacefully’ from white minority rule to the present day majority rule in 1994. Ghana had the National Commission for Democracy, that guided our transition from military rule to the current 4th Republic.
The effects of galamsey if not checked, would far outweigh the damage inflicted by white minority rule and military dictatorships. It is either now or never!! Those with brilliant ideas but hiding in some obscure corners because of fear of being bashed in the media, should they venture out like some of us who were born thick skinned, are more likely to share their ideas happily at a national convention or forum of this nature.
The Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) engagement scheduled for today, Friday 3rd October, 2025 at the seat of Government, should serve as the catalyst towards a convention or forum of this nature.
Another strategy that the President ought to deploy in the fight against galamsey, is ruthlessness. The President should be ruthless with officials assigned galamsey duties. Without this, we better forget it. Corrupt appointees should not be shielded in any way or form! They should be immediately removed from office and not re-assigned until swift and speedy investigations either exonerate or find them culpable. Furthermore, those assigned to lead the onslaught against galamsey should be made to report directly to the President.
The Military MUST be extensively engaged by the government to play a central role. As already proposed in previous write-ups, service commanders should Chair the Small Scale Mining Committees (SSMCs) and all seized unapproved/unauthorized mining equipment should be held at nearby Military Bases.
Military Intelligence should be deployed to carry out covert operations, including but not limited to the deployment of drones for reconnaissance/surveillance missions in the galamsey infested areas and report directly to the President together with their recommendations. Round the clock patrols on both land and water, are crucial. A well resourced Ghana Navy and the Ghana Marine Police Unit, can take care of the patrols on the water bodies.
The most lethal weapon in the fight against galamsey, is Political Will. This can be described as the decisive weapon to deliver the coup de grace in the fight against galamsey. The ordinary man on the street can propose the best possible solution(s), however, such a commoner is not clothed with the mandate/power to implement the solution(s). Only the Executive, headed by the President can do so. Your Excellency, please take political colours out of the fight against galamsey and save this country from a looming catastrophe!
The role of the media cannot be underestimated in the fight against galamsey. However, the media, especially Joynews and its affiliates. have already taken the bull by the horns in this fight, so nothing more to say other than to commend them and implore them not to relent and not to surrender.
A good friend sent me a message on WhatsApp after reading one of my articles on galamsey and I wish to incorporate part of his message in this submission to draw a curtain on this series.
According to this friend, that a Church of Pentecost pastor had persistently warned some elders in the church to stop having inappropriate relationships with some of the ladies in the church. This warning went on repeatedly for quite some time, but to no avail until one Sunday service, when the pastor in desperation announced to the Congregation that he was tired, and since the immorality showed no sign of abating, he had no option other than to entreat everyone including himself, to join the game.
Your Excellency Mr. President, as the referee, if you don’t start showing the red card to all the players in the galamsey pit, a majority of the spectators would sooner rather than later, join the galamsey OSA bus, since it would then appear that there is nothing wrong in destroying cocoa farms and polluting water bodies.
To borrow the words of the late Chairman Rawlings to round up this write-up: “…. you are either part of the problem or part of the solution. There is no middle way”. (Rawlings, 1979). Currently, a majority of Ghanaians see themselves as part of the solution (almost everyone, from cradle to the grave, is calling for a declaration of a state of emergency). However, if the problem (galamsey), is repackaged and displayed as the latest fashion in town, then to avoid being relegated to the ‘prohibited’ middle course, the ‘irrelevant’ solution providers maybe tempted to jump ship and join the galamsey bandwagon.
It is humbly submitted that the declaration of a state of emergency, is not the panacea for terminating the recalcitrant and unrepentant life of galamsey. A state of emergency is bound to fail in the galamsey fight. At best, it will only serve as a public relations gimmick, and nothing more!
The solution to galamsey lies in top-notch intelligence (espionage), coupled with an expedited justice delivery system and the political will to act in the best interest of the nation.
Alhassan Salifu Bawah
(son of an upright peasant farmer)
Watch out for my upcoming book titled: From Mamprugu to Effutu via London.
