Dormaahene, Osagyefo Oseadeeyo Agyeman Badu II, has stated that illegal small-scale mining, popularly known as galamsey, has seen a decline since the tenure of President John Dramani Mahama. However, he warned that the menace is still a major threat that must be eliminated.
Speaking in Accra on Thursday, October 2, after being sworn in with 20 others as a Justice of the Court of Appeal, the Dormaahene noted that while galamsey did not originate under the current government- Mahama, recent measures have helped to limit its spread.
“I have been on this stool for almost 26 and a half years. Galamsey — the illegal mining — did not start yesterday; it’s been with us for some time. If you ask me about my assessment, I will say now it is going down,” he told journalists.
The traditional leader attributed the progress to new enforcement strategies and community-level initiatives, stressing that actors who once operated with impunity are now less visible.
“You know why I am saying that? If you look at some of the steps that have been taken, we weren’t hearing about the blue water guards and all that before. Before this regime came, I know for a fact, because of the work that I do, nine forest reserves had been taken over. Now that the situation had been curbed,” he explained.
Despite the gains, the Dormaahene cautioned against complacency, emphasizing that illegal mining persists and must be tackled consistently by the government, the Lands Ministry, and the public.
“I wouldn’t stand here and say galamsey is gone; it is still with us, but I believe that if you look at the seriousness… we should ensure that we nip this situation in the bud,” he said.
He also warned that in Dormaa, there would be zero tolerance for galamsey, stressing that he would personally arrest offenders and hand them over to the police for prosecution.
Appealing to citizens, the Dormaahene urged Ghanaians to protect the country’s natural resources and livelihoods. “This is the only thing our ancestors left for us, so we don’t have to destroy our water bodies, cocoa farms, and ensure that we do farming in the right way so we can all be happy,” he said.
