Accra:Franklin Cudjoe, President of IMANI Ghana, has commented on the formalisation of illegal small-scale mining, commonly referred to as galamsey, after GoldBod CEO Sammy Gyamfi's explanation of the process.
According to Ghana Web, Cudjoe made his remarks in a Facebook post dated October 26, 2026, where he discussed the approach to integrating unlicensed mining operations into a legal framework. He advised the public not to overanalyze Gyamfi's explanation of the government's strategy for formalising artisanal and small-scale mining.
In his post, Cudjoe emphasized that the process involves transitioning unlicensed miners into a regulated system where they must adhere to mining laws, pay taxes, and meet environmental standards. He noted that Gyamfi had identified three types of unlicensed mining operations as being 'irredeemably wrong' and thus excluded from the formalisation process.
Cudjoe pointed out that these excluded operations include mining that affects or occurs near water bodies, within forest reserves, and in unsafe community areas such as roadsides, school lands, and residential yards. He stated that mining activities in these prohibited zones are to be closed down, while those outside these areas can move to the next stage of the formalisation, subject to compliance with relevant regulations.
He concluded by clarifying that the formalisation of artisanal and small-scale mining should not be misconstrued as an effort to legalise all illegal mining activities, especially those that pose threats to water bodies, forest reserves, and public safety.