The National Treasurer of the Ghana Institute of Foresters (GIF), Vicent Kusi Kyei, says Ghana’s fight against illegal mining is collapsing due to poor leadership and lack of knowledge among those mandated to solve the problem.

Speaking on Adom FM’s morning show, Dwaso Nsem, he said the country is battling two major issues: failed leadership and a weak understanding of the mining sector.

According to him, Ghana no longer has anything genuinely called small-scale mining.

“There is nothing like small-scale mining in Ghana. Almost all of them are galamseyers,” he stated.

He explained that although the public is constantly told how many people depend on the activity for their livelihood, leaders have failed to create responsible alternatives for them.

Mr Kusi Kyei questioned why the state cannot redirect the huge sums spent on fighting illegal mining toward supporting Ghanaian-owned companies to mine responsibly.

“Why can’t we use the money we spend fighting galamsey to empower our own people?” he asked.

He cited businessman Ibrahim Mahama as an example of someone the government could support to build efficient mining plants that would create thousands of jobs.

The GIF treasurer further alleged that the very leaders claiming to be fighting galamsey are the ones quietly benefiting from the illegal activity.

“Those who say they are fighting galamsey are the same people behind it. They empower others to destroy our lands and water bodies,” he revealed.

He condemned the greed and selfishness displayed by some leaders. “They don’t care about the ordinary Ghanaian. They only care about themselves,” he lamented.

Mr Kusi Kyei warned that Ghana will eventually face the consequences of its actions. “When God created the earth and gave it to us, whatever we reap as a country is what we shall sow,” he said.

He added that a time will come when the country will have nothing productive left, and even the wealthy, who made money through destruction, will be unable to repair the damage.

“If money can do everything, then why can’t money walk by itself unless someone manages it?” he quizzed.

He made these comments in reaction to the continued destruction of lands, forests, and water bodies by illegal mining across various parts of the country.