Investigative journalist Manasseh Azure Awuni has criticised Ghana’s political class for what he describes as a lack of genuine commitment to ending illegal mining, popularly known as galamsey.

Speaking on JoyNews’ AM Show, Manasseh said the persistent failure to deal decisively with the menace stems from the political and financial interests of those in power.

“A politician can give you a state of emergency without solving a problem,” he remarked. “Most of the time, the reason we cannot solve a problem is when those who are supposed to solve it are benefiting from it.”

According to him, both the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC) have, at various times, had individuals with vested interests in illegal mining operations.

He suggested that the people seen working in the pits are often mere labourers fronting for powerful sponsors behind the scenes.

“The average young person we see dirty in those pits does not have what it takes to import excavators and huge equipment to the mining site,” Manasseh stated, questioning the sincerity of the government’s efforts to clamp down on the practice.

His comments come in the wake of a viral video showing a police reinforcement team rescuing nine soldiers from a violent confrontation with illegal miners at Ahafo Hwidiem in the Ahafo Region.

The soldiers, reportedly on national assignment in Goaso, had discovered an illegal mining site at Bronikrom near Hwidiem and arrested the site owner. They allegedly seized two vehicles, mobile phones, and pistols, and set fire to wooden structures and equipment belonging to the miners.

In response, an irate mob vandalised a Toyota Hilux pickup (AD 7191-25) belonging to the National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations (NAIMOS) team and attempted to attack the soldiers before police intervention.

The incident has reignited public debate about the state’s ability — and willingness — to tackle galamsey, which continues to ravage Ghana’s water bodies and farmlands despite repeated government promises.

Manasseh concluded that, until political actors detach themselves from personal interests in the illicit trade, the fight against illegal mining will remain “a show with no seriousness.”