President John Dramani Mahama has reaffirmed his commitment to tackling the illegal mining menace, assuring Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) and the public that the NDC government will demonstrate the political will necessary to end the environmental destruction caused by galamsey.

Speaking at a meeting with CSOs in Accra, Mr Mahama offered a historical perspective on Ghana’s long relationship with mining, noting that gold was one of the first commodities traded when the Portuguese arrived in Elmina centuries ago.

“Mining in Ghana has a long history. When the first Portuguese arrived in Elmina, one of the first things we sold to them was gold. Our grandfathers were involved in mining,” he said.

However, he emphasised that, unlike today, the tools used in the past were rudimentary and posed minimal risk to the environment.

“They used pickaxes and shovels, so the capacity to cause environmental destruction was very limited,” he explained. “The whole equation changed when small-scale mining started deploying heavy earth-moving equipment like excavators and bulldozers.”

Mr Mahama traced the formalisation of the small-scale mining sector to the PNDC era, when legal reforms were introduced to empower Ghanaian-owned mining operations, which were previously restricted despite having the capacity to mine.

“There is a difference between small-scale mining and artisanal mining. Artisanal mining existed before, using only basic tools. But with new licenses, small-scale miners began bringing in excavators, and that’s where our current problem lies.”

He acknowledged the scale and complexity of the galamsey crisis but assured stakeholders that with collective effort and consistent public advocacy, it can be addressed.

“I want to assure you that we are determined to win this fight,” he said. “Your contributions, criticisms, and pressure, putting fire under our feet, are welcome. You must continue your advocacy to urge us on and encourage us to win this fight.”