Acting Chief Justice Paul Baffoe-Bonnie has warned that Ghana’s future is under serious threat from two national crises — illegal mining (galamsey) and substance abuse among the youth — and called for urgent, bold action to address them.
Delivering a speech on the opening day of the 2025 Ghana Bar Association (GBA) Annual Conference in Wa, Justice Baffoe-Bonnie said galamsey continues to wreak havoc on farmlands, pollute vital water bodies, and displace communities, despite years of state interventions.
“The menace of galamsey has worsened over the years, devastating our environment and threatening livelihoods. It is time for bold, decisive and far-reaching measures to tackle this crisis once and for all,” he declared.
The Acting CJ further expressed concern about the growing wave of drug and substance abuse among Ghanaian youth, which he described as destroying lives and communities at an alarming rate.
He urged greater investment in public education, expanded counselling services, and stronger rehabilitation systems to provide effective support to victims and curb the rising trend.
While the Acting Chief Justice spotlighted these pressing social issues, GBA President Mrs. Efua Ghartey emphasized the need for legal reforms to protect Ghana’s democratic institutions. She called for the enactment of comprehensive regulations to guide Article 146 of the 1992 Constitution, which governs the removal of Superior Court justices.
The Wa conference, being held under the theme “Sustaining the Fourth Republican Constitutional Democracy: The Role of the Judiciary and the Legal Profession,” has brought together lawyers, judges, and policymakers. Deliberations are expected to tackle both constitutional reforms and the wider role of the judiciary in addressing Ghana’s social and governance challenges.
