Deputy Director of A Rocha Ghana, Daryl Bosu, has warned that Ghana's fight against illegal mining has reached "a point of hopelessness", saying the country's rivers and forests continue to suffer despite government interventions and the sacrifice of eight officials who died in last year's helicopter crash.

Speaking on Joy FM's Super Morning Show on Thursday, August 6, during a discussion marking the first anniversary of the helicopter crash and the country's battle against galamsey, Mr Bosu said the systems introduced to tackle illegal mining have failed to deliver the expected results.

"I think that we started well, but if you ask me, I would say now we are at a point of hopelessness because every system we put in place is failing to yield the needed results and outcomes," he said.

According to Mr Bosu, the government must urgently prioritise the protection of key national assets, particularly forest reserves and river bodies, if it wants to win the fight against illegal mining.

"We need to secure our forest reserves against galamsey. We need to secure our river systems against galamsey, and our approach should be very uncompromising," he stressed.

He said that enforcement should be applied fairly and consistently, warning against selective action.

"It is not enough to jail Wontumi while many others are left to continue the impunity," Mr Bosu said.

"If there is anything this government can do, then these key economic sectors need to be protected, and government must start that now."

Reflecting on the helicopter crash that claimed the lives of eight people, he described the anniversary as "a sad day", recalling that he represented the Coalition Against Galamsey in Obuasi while waiting for the delegation to arrive for the commissioning of a responsible community mining project.

The victims of the August 6 helicopter crash were attending the launch of the Responsible Cooperative Mining and Skills Development Programme, rCOMSDEP, at Obuasi, a flagship initiative designed to transform Ghana's artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM) sector.

Mr Bosu said the country had failed to honour those who died through meaningful action against illegal mining.

"It is really sad to see that despite Ghanaians compassionately mourning, pouring in tributes and all of that, we have not taken action to honour their names," he said.

"What we have rather done is play around with a lot of propaganda, a lot of optics without really showing true commitment."

Drawing on recent visits to mining communities, Bosu said the situation on the ground suggests that illegal mining continues almost unchecked.

He recounted a recent visit to Dunkwa where illegal mining equipment was operating openly near a police station.

"Recently we were in Dunkwa, and just after crossing the bridge into the town, there was a changfan machine operating. You could hear it as you drove over the bridge, and not far from there was the police station," he said.

According to him, similar scenes are becoming common across mining communities, with rivers continuing to be heavily polluted.

He pointed to the deteriorating condition of major rivers, including the Ankobra, Birim, Offin and Tano, saying pollution levels remain alarming.

"We have seen more and more of our rivers staying polluted. If you look at how polluted the Ankobra is as it flows into the sea, if you look at places like the Birim River and the Offin, it is a very devastating situation," he stated.

Mr Bosu said research conducted by A Rocha Ghana shows that the quality of Ghana's water bodies has not improved despite ongoing anti-galamsey operations.

"We did some research on the levels of pollution in our water bodies, and it was very clear that it is not getting better. It hasn't gotten better," he said.

He also linked the continued destruction of rivers to growing challenges in access to safe drinking water across the country.

"If you listen to communities complaining more and more about the lack of potable drinking water, it tells you there is a problem," Bosu noted. "Ghana Water Company is rationing water not only in Accra but also in other parts of the country where it supplies water."

While acknowledging the deployment of military personnel and other enforcement measures, Bosu argued that these efforts have not produced the environmental improvements Ghanaians had hoped for.

"There is a lot of military deployment and a lot of actions here and there, but that is not really the solution that is needed," he said.

He further criticised what he described as weak law enforcement, alleging that illegal mining activities are taking place openly without intervention.

"You see activities happening right by the roadside, five or ten metres away, and these people are driving through with their excavators, and nothing is happening. You don't see any corresponding action from the police in particular."

Mr Bosu warned that illegal miners are expanding into new areas that were previously untouched, causing even greater environmental destruction.

"From what we have seen on the ground, there has been no improvement in the environment. These miners are expanding their territories. They are entering areas that have not seen mining before, and they are using that to devastate and destroy the land even more. We really have a long way to go," he said.