Accra: Mr Albert Kwabena Dwumfour, President of the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA), Tuesday urged the government to widen its fight against illegal mining, popularly known as galamsey, to include financiers, equipment suppliers and gold buyers operating within the illegal gold economy. He said focusing mainly on miners at the bottom of the chain would not end illegal mining, since the activities were supported by a wider network of influential actors.
According to Ghana News Agency, Mr Dwumfour emphasized that the illegal gold economy has financiers, equipment suppliers, buyers, middlemen, and other interests behind it. Speaking at the 2026 National Mining Dialogue in Accra, he remarked, "Our response to illegal mining must also go beyond the person operating the excavator." Presided by the Ga Mantse, King Tackie Teiko Tsuru II, the event was organized by Asempa 94.7 FM and its flagship program, Ekosiisen, in partnership with Semmis DS and the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources.
Held under the theme: 'Mining, Local Content and the Catchment Compact: Rethinking the Social Licence to Operate', discussions focused on how Ghana can maximize the economic and social value from the extraction of its mineral resources, without compromising the health and environmental wellbeing of present and future generations. The event was attended by government officials, traditional authorities, mining industry players, regulators, and other stakeholders.
Mr Dwumfour urged the authorities to deploy tactics he called "follow the chain" and "follow the money," noting that where evidence implicated powerful interests, those individuals or entities should not be shielded because of their influence. "The law must apply equally," he said. He stressed on balancing the economic benefits of mining with environmental protection and the interests of host communities.
Acknowledging mining's contribution to the economy, Mr Dwumfour noted that producing member companies of the Ghana Chamber of Mines paid GHS17.68 billion in fiscal payments to the government in 2024. However, he warned against measuring mining's value solely by economic gains. "We must also ask: At what cost? Who benefits? Who bears the consequences? And what are we leaving behind when the minerals are gone?" he stated.
Drawing from his background in Tarkwa, a major mining area in the Western Region, Mr Dwumfour highlighted the opportunities and pressures mining has created on land, water bodies, and livelihoods. He cautioned against equating small-scale mining with illegal mining, advocating for credible pathways to formalize responsible small-scale mining while protecting the environment.
Mr Dwumfour also announced plans of the GJA to hold a one-week dialogue and symposium on the galamsey crisis, followed by a nationwide field exercise involving veteran and experienced journalists to ascertain the status of the menace. He stated that the team would visit affected communities and mining sites, examine rivers and degraded lands, and engage with miners, farmers, traditional leaders, regulators, and other stakeholders.
"This exercise will be independent of government," he explained, adding that the GJA would "go there to find the truth" and publish its findings irrespective of whether they pleased the government or the opposition. "We will report what we find. If there has been progress, we will say so. If there are gaps, we will identify them. If there have been failures, we will report them," he said.
The GJA President urged the media to remain independent while holding government, mining companies, and regulators accountable and giving affected communities a voice. He emphasized that the country should pursue mining that creates economic opportunities without leaving future generations with degraded land, polluted water bodies, and weakened local economies.