Peter Lanchene Toobu, MP for Wa West, has written a comprehensive summary of President Mahama’s multi-pronged strategy to tackle illegal mining (galamsey) in Ghana, highlighting public engagement, regulatory reforms, enforcement, alternative livelihoods, land reclamation, and ongoing monitoring to ensure sustainable impact and accountability.
1. Continuous public engagement enlisting general buy-in
2. Regulatory reforms with the speed of light to include the adoption of technology as an accelerator.
3. Enforcement without fear or favour by NAIMOS, MINERALS COMMISSION & THE ATTORNEY-GENERAL
4. Create alternative and sustainable livelihood programmes. [Responsible cooperative mining for those with the desire to stay in the industry + Skills and entrepreneurial training as an alternative to mining for those who are in mining unwillingly]
5. Land reclamation in response to environmental degradation. This will also create jobs to reduce systemic pressure.
6. Monthly review of strategic impact. This is expected to be done publicly.
7. The last but the most important is to provide the desired POLITICAL WILL.
The general public including civil society organisations are expected to be part of the Open Monitoring & Evaluation Unit. This is to ensure that no one is left behind.
By the end of the next raining season (November 2026), a year from now, we should have a national conference to look at the results/impact.
If you want to add on to the strategy as it is been rolled out, do not hesitate. It is flexible with sensors.
Let’s do this together.
