Haruna Iddrisu, Minister of Education, has urged the judiciary to impose custodial sentences on public officials and politicians found culpable of engaging in illegal mining.

“We need to elevate and up our game. The Executive and the President alone cannot succeed in fighting galamsey. We need the judiciary to stand side by side in solidarity.

“Should the court find any good evidence on any public official or any politician involved in it, my Lords don’t hesitate to exercise the gavel and punish adequately so that it becomes deterrent for the rest of our society,” he said at the Annual Chief Justice Mentoring Programme held at the forecourt of the Supreme Court in Accra.

It was on the theme: “Advocating Greener Sustainable Justice: The Environment and Justice.”

The programme brought together 11 schools from the Greater Accra and Western Regions, the Orange Girls groups from Accra and Kumasi, and members of the United Nations Youth Association.

Mr. Iddrisu encouraged students to support efforts to protect the environment, saying: “Galamsey is destroying water bodies, even the quality of our cocoa has been compromised. Preserve the environment.”

“As we educate the next generation, we must help them understand that protecting the environment is not optional, it is a moral and civic duty and increasingly a legal one,” he said, adding that Ghana could not afford to fail in the fight against illegal mining.

The Minister commended the Chief Justice, Paul Baffoe‑Bonnie, and his predecessors for strengthening the mentoring programme, noting that it had helped demystify the judicial process for young people.

He urged students to take their studies seriously and uphold patriotism and integrity, adding that interaction with legal professionals helped build confidence and an appreciation for public service.

Mr Iddrisu said the mentoring initiative was shaping disciplined and civically minded young people and emphasised that strong judicial systems existed only in countries that respected the rule of law.

He welcomed the establishment of Justice Clubs in schools and said the Ministry of Education and the Ghana Education Service would continue to support them.

Professor Justice Olivia Anku‑Tsede, Chair of the Mentoring Committee, said it was important for the country to reflect on the link between the environment and justice, especially as illegal mining had become a national concern.

She said galamsey was “a threat to our national heritage, our public health, laws and the very future of our communities.”

Prof Anku‑Tsede noted that river bodies were polluted, forests were disappearing, and farmlands were being destroyed.

“If this generation allows these practices to continue, then the next generation would inherit barren lands, polluted waters and weakened institutions,” she said.

She stated that the fight against illegal mining required collective effort and “It demands the participation of the young people, the future custodians of our nation’s values and resources and institutions.”

“Our youth must understand that sustainability is not a slogan… it is a responsibility,” she said.