In a searing indictment of the state of the nation, renowned business management consultant Dr. Ishmael Yamson has characterised the ongoing devastation of Ghana’s water bodies by illegal mining (galamsey) as a "spiritual collapse" and a symptom of a deep-seated culture of impunity.

Delivering a keynote address at the opening ceremony of the University of Ghana’s 77th Annual New Year School and Conference (ANYSC) on Tuesday, January 6, 2026, the CEO of Ishmael Yamson & Associates did not mince words.

He challenged the government and leadership to move beyond rhetoric, warning that no economy can survive when its environmental foundations are being poisoned for the greed of a select few.

Dr. Yamson expressed profound distress over the visibility and scale of the environmental destruction, noting that the pollution of Ghana's major rivers—once the lifeblood of rural communities—is happening without fear of consequence.

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“Madam Chair, President, we watch with horror as our pristine river bodies are turned into toxic mud by illegal mining,” Dr. Yamson remarked. “With this destruction, we see this destruction happening in broad daylight, often with the complicity of those who must protect us.”

He argued that the crisis has transcended the environmental realm.

“When a nation poisons its own water to feed the greed of a few, it is not just an environmental crisis; it is a spiritual collapse,” he declared.

Linking the galamsey menace to a broader "crisis of values", the veteran consultant highlighted the growing disconnect between the lifestyles of public office holders and the suffering of the masses. He lamented that resources meant for critical social infrastructure are being diverted into private pockets.

According to Dr. Yamson, the average Ghanaian feels "helpless" while observing leaders plunder resources that should fund basic amenities.

“Ghanaians watch helplessly every day as their leaders plunder the resources... while the few public office holders acquire huge and numerous assets and live offensive, ostentatious lives,” he added.

From a business perspective, Dr. Yamson warned that the "culture of impunity" and environmental degradation create an "uncertain environment" that is the enemy of sustainable investment.

He maintained that a vibrant economy cannot be built on a foundation of lawlessness.

“No country can build a sustainable, vibrant economy in a constantly disruptive and uncertain environment,” he cautioned, emphasising that the "iron will of execution" is required to enforce the law against illegal miners, regardless of their political affiliations.