Accra: Participants at a workshop organised by the Kofi Annan International Peace Keeping Centre (KAIPTC) have identified illegal mining as the greatest emerging threat to human and national security. The illegal mining trade, the participants revealed, played host to smuggling, human trafficking, violent extremism, community vulnerability, drugs, community instability, human capital defects, pollution, loss of farmlands, and the infamous environmental degradation.
According to Ghana News Agency, the participants argued that like the 'Black Diamond' and 'Hotel Rwanda' movies, Ghana's future seemed bleak. These and other strong sentiments were intimated by participants drawn from the security agencies, education, traditional authorities, media, and other state institutions to validate and dialogue on the safety and security ecosystem of illegal mining in Ghana, sponsored by the Spanish Embassy in Ghana.
Mr. Ernest Ansah Lartey, a Senior Researcher at the KAIPTC, who presented a two-week research findings on illegal mining for validation, said aside from human security crises, the sector presented huge public health consequences. "One, that is evolving into a safety and security ecosystem," he noted, adding that the sector had become an organised and mechanised network of individuals perpetuating the crime.
The discourse highlighted the political economy of the galamsey and its governing architecture, emphasizing that financiers, heavy machinery, and patronage within the political system must be the targets rather than the 'boys and girls' in the trade who were only doing their masters' bidding. The Ankobra, Bonsa, and Pra Rivers heavily bore the brunt of these nefarious and unregulated activities, while the roadsides were not spared from the remnants of dug holes after the search for gold.
Activities of Nigerians in the supply chain continued to fuel the illegal mining business, including selling and repairing parts for these social deviants. A site with over 120 points could house 1,217 persons on a normal day, entrenching livelihoods and survival. The research revealed that the burden of galamsey was huge, needing a collective approach involving landowners, financiers, and chiefs who allowed the love of money to override the future of their communities.
Mr. Joseph Nelson, the Western Regional Minister, stated that the illegal mining fight called for discussions on strong alternatives rather than basic livelihood skills. "How can you easily convince someone who gets 1500 cedis a day to stop the trade on a silver platter? There should be real social interventions and sustainable approaches," he said. He also suggested taking lands from any chief who oversees galamsey in their community, aside from other harsh punishments, advocating for the need for outright forfeiture.
He confirmed that the illegal mining trade had ravaged 11 of the 14 districts in the Western Region alone. "We are hoping to create three bases in Ellembelle, Amenfi East, and Ahanta West to allow NAIMOS to effectively carry out monitoring to avoid occasional presence," he added. One area the Minister proposed was the deployment of technology to scan actual zones where these illegal miners were predominant.