Galamsey fight has failed; water quality shows we’re retrogressing – Senyo Hosi
Convener of the OneGhana Movement and Trustee of the Ghana Coalition Against Galamsey, Senyo Hosi says Ghana is nowhere near winning the fight against illegal small-scale mining, popularly known as galamsey, arguing that the country has failed to achieve meaningful results despite several interventions
Senyo Hosi, leader of the OneGhana Movement and Trustee of the Ghana Coalition Against Galamsey, asserts that Ghana has not made significant progress in combating illegal small-scale mining, or galamsey. During an interview with JoyNews’ Newsfile on August 22, he emphasized that the effectiveness of government's anti-galamsey measures should be evaluated based on their impact on water bodies, forest reserves, food quality, and national security.
Hosi pointed out that available data suggests that the country is regressing rather than making strides in the fight against galamsey. He noted that the scale of illegal mining has significantly increased over the past two years, from approximately 14,000-14,500 individuals involved in August 2024 to around 98,000 by August 2025.
Hosi criticized the tendency to measure success through arrests and equipment destruction, stating that the number of arrests or seized equipment should not be the primary indicator of success. Instead, he argued that government should focus on measurable outcomes, such as improvements in water turbidity and the restoration of degraded water bodies and forest reserves.
Additionally, Hosi urged policymakers to publish relevant data transparently so that Ghanaians can evaluate the effectiveness of these interventions. He highlighted that Ghana often tends to focus on inputs rather than outcomes in policy discussions, making it challenging to determine if government programs are successful. Hosi acknowledged that the government has implemented enforcement measures, including impounding and destroying mining equipment, but maintained that these actions should lead to tangible environmental improvements.
He further lamented that Ghana had missed a crucial opportunity during former President Nana Akufo-Addo's first term to effectively address the galamsey issue. In light of the worsening situation, Hosi called for a reevaluation of Ghana's approach to the illegal mining crisis, emphasizing the need for transparent data and rigorous evaluation of anti-galamsey interventions to demonstrate their actual impact.
Written by urgent.news from MyJoyOnline Ghana's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
