Galamsey threatening EU-Ghana partnership; EU pledges support to fight it- Deputy EU ambassador
By Love Wilhelmina Abanonave The Deputy European Union Ambassador to Ghana, Jonas Claes, says illegal mining, popularly known as galamsey, remains a pervasive and destructive challenge posing severe environmental, economic and social threats to Ghana. Speaking at the launch of the Gold for Good baseline studies, he commended the Ghana government for taking important steps […]
Galamsey, or illegal mining, remains a pervasive and destructive challenge in Ghana, threatening the country's environment, economy, and social fabric, according to the Deputy EU Ambassador to Ghana, Jonas Claes. During the launch of the Gold for Good baseline studies, Claes praised the Ghanaian government for taking significant steps to address the issue, including the revocation of a Legislative Instrument that permitted mining in forest reserves and the establishment of the National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS).
However, progress will be measured by the reduction of Galamsey activities and the preservation of Ghana's water bodies and food produce, Claes emphasized.
Claes revealed that four years ago, the European Union (EU) initially refrained from engaging in the fight against illegal mining, considering it politically risky and complex. But the EU's stance shifted due to the direct impact of illegal mining on both Ghanaians and EU interests, particularly the erosion of EU-funded programming in areas such as sustainable agriculture, water sanitation, security, and forestation.
The EU, along with several member states, is now actively involved in combating the issue, with a EUR 3 million Gold for Good project as one of its key initiatives. This project, funded by the EU and implemented by Coginta, aims to mitigate the impact of illegal mining through comprehensive research and partnerships with Ghana.
To bolster its efforts, the EU has doubled its involvement by training military and civilian personnel and enhancing the capabilities of key stakeholders to facilitate legal mining operations. The EU Security and Defense Initiative has also provided support to strengthen Ghanaian military capabilities in combating illegal mining.
Despite these efforts, Claes clarified that the objective of the Gold for Good project is not to halt gold mining entirely. Instead, it seeks to foster a lawful, environmentally responsible, socially inclusive, and economically beneficial mining sector that benefits local communities.
Written by urgent.news from GBC Ghana's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
