From gimmick to goldmine: The people's solution to Ghana's galamsey crisis

Every four years, like clockwork, politicians roll out their trusty catchphrase: “Stop Galamsey!” A new government emerges fists clenched in defiance of illegal mining, vowing to tackle the menace once and for all. 

Ministers rush to local radio stations, feverishly promising that this time, they really mean business. Billboards spring up, featuring stern-faced leaders, bulldozers in the background and slogans so strong you could almost believe illegal mining is a distant memory.

Then, something magical happens well, for them. Elections are won. Seats are secured. The anti-galamsey rhetoric dies down.

The bulldozers mysteriously disappear only to reappear elsewhere for the same purpose, and what follows? A rise in galamsey activities like never before. Gold production skyrockets in the most unregulated, damaging way, as the environment pays the ultimate price.

It's almost like “Stop Galamsey” was never a policy just a brilliant election gimmick.

Can galamsey be stopped? No. Can it be dealt with? Absolutely, with a common sense practical approach.

Now, here’s where it gets tricky. Let’s face it: we can’t stop galamsey, and anyone who says otherwise has probably never set foot in a mining community. But can we deal with it?

Yes, we can. And not in the highfalutin, policy-paper kind of way, but through a grounded, Afrocentric solution that values local power structures and boosts economic growth for the people who actually live there.

It’s time to end the circus of bulldozers and broken promises and create a sustainable, inclusive ecosystem around small-scale mining. Enter the People’s Mine Ecosystem—a solution as old as our local chieftaincy and as progressive as modern economics.

The people’s mine ecosystem: A real solution

To tackle galamsey, we need to think beyond government edicts and look at how local communities can thrive. Here’s the game plan:
Government Steps In, But Not As a Bully.

Instead of pretending it can eradicate galamsey with threats and military force, the government should establish an official small-scale mining ecosystem. This ecosystem would consist of registered groups of local miners who are given the tools to mine responsibly.

The government’s role? Providing machinery and equipment through interest-free loans, so these miners aren’t reliant on outdated, dangerous methods. With the right equipment, there’s no need to dig recklessly, poisoning rivers and lands.

Water is life: Treat it like gold

One of the most devastating impacts of illegal mining is water pollution. Our rivers are choked with toxic runoff. But this can change.

The government will establish modular water treatment plants to recycle processed water used in mining. No more dumping poisonous waste into our water bodies; miners will treat and reuse it, reducing environmental damage and ensuring clean water for all.

A fair gold price and local prosperity

The heart of the People’s Mine Ecosystem is economic empowerment. The government will establish a mandatory product buy-out system, guaranteeing that 80 per cent of the prevailing gold price will be paid to miners.

This ensures that local miners receive fair compensation for their labour, preventing the exploitative middleman problem that currently plagues small-scale mining.

But it doesn’t end there. The government will take a 10 per cent stake in the ecosystem’s profit market, ensuring state involvement without monopolisation

 Local authorities—chiefs and traditional leaders—will hold a 5-8 per cent stake, and finally, 2-5 per cent of profits will go toward reclamation works, ensuring the environment is restored once mining activities cease.

No foreigners allowed

In this People’s Mine Ecosystem, foreign companies will be barred from engaging in small-scale mining. This is about local empowerment, not another way to line the pockets of foreign investors. Local miners will own the gold, the land and the future.

By creating this inclusive ecosystem, we foster responsible mining, boost local prosperity and protect our environment. Chiefs will no longer sell out their communities to foreign companies, knowing they have a financial stake in sustainable mining. Locals will prosper, water bodies will be safeguarded and the ecosystem will flourish.

The end of the gimmick

So, next time you see a politician waving a shovel and shouting “Stop Galamsey!”, ask them what they really mean. Is it another hollow promise or are they ready to support the People’s Mine Ecosystem?

An ecosystem that could finally align the interests of the government, local authorities and the miners themselves.

In this Afrocentric approach, galamsey becomes more than just a political football; it becomes an opportunity—a way to empower local communities, generate revenue for the government and protect our natural resources.

Because, let's face it, galamsey isn’t going anywhere. But with the right approach, it doesn’t have to destroy everything in its path either.

The writer is an Environmental Scientist, Canada