By Ebenezer Sasu
Discussions surrounding the fight against illegal mining, popularly known as galamsey, continue to dominate the Ghanaian national discourse. What has sparked widespread public outrage is the apparent lack of political will to tackle this environmental crisis head-on.
When an issue directly impacts the political class, comprehensive solutions are quickly organised and backed by the full resource weight of the state. Conversely, when political will is absent, state action halts, yielding excuses for failing to address critical challenges.
Security resource allocation: elections vs. environmental protection
The stark contrast in state commitment becomes clear when comparing security operations. During the 2025 Akwatia by-election in the Eastern Region, the Ghana Police Service deployed 5,500 personnel alongside advanced logistics to secure a single constituency. Military forces were placed on standby, ensuring a peaceful voting exercise. Where political interest aligns, execution is clinical.
STATE RESOURCE DEPLOYMENT COMPARISON
| Akwatia By-Election | 5,500 security officers deployed to 1 constituency. |
| Galamsey River Patrols | Minimal, sporadic task force deployments. |
| Forest Reserve Protection | Fragmented enforcement with limited tactical backup. |
| Funding Allocation | Billions allocated for immediate election logistics. |
Regrettably, this degree of operational commitment is missing from the fight against illegal mining, despite galamsey posing a direct threat to national security, water safety, and public health.
In 2025, when urged by civil society organisations and bodies like the Environmental Protection Agency Ghana to declare a state of emergency in affected mining zones, executive leadership expressed hesitation:
“I’ve been reluctant to implement a state of emergency because we’ve not exhausted the powers we already have. The laws for forest protection give us enough power to act. A state of emergency should be the last resort.”
While regulatory institutions admit that illegal mining has damaged community livelihoods, enforcement remains inconsistent across critical watersheds.
Political incentives and structural inertia
The reality acknowledged across the nation is that galamsey represents both an environmental issue and a structural political challenge. While low-level operators face occasional arrest and equipment confiscation under policies monitored by the Minerals Commission Ghana, major financiers and elite sponsors rarely face prosecution.
In electoral cycles, galamsey hotspots frequently function as political bargaining chips, where enforcement leniency is exchanged for local voter support.
This dynamic reveals an ongoing imbalance in state priorities:
- Tactical security personnel deployed to guard ballot boxes rather than critical forest reserves
- State capital directed toward temporary electoral logistics rather than community alternative-livelihood programs
- Short-term political preservation prioritised over long-term water safety and land remediation
Realigning national priorities for sustainable protection
A peaceful democratic process remains vital, but electoral victories offer little long-term value if primary water bodies and agricultural lands become irreversibly polluted.
Deploying thousands of officers to protect individual ballot boxes while leaving major river bodies unprotected highlights a fundamental gap in resource distribution. Until the state matches the logistical commitment seen during targeted by-elections, the broader fight against illegal mining will remain incomplete.
About the author: Ebenezer Sasu is a freelance writer and commentator focusing on political, environmental, and social issues in Ghana.
