Security analyst Prof. Kwesi Aning has questioned Ghana’s approach to combating illegal mining, popularly known as galamsey, emphasizing that the real masterminds behind the activity remain untouched while low-level operators are targeted.
Prof. Aning said the country’s current strategy lacks depth and focus on the financial networks driving the illicit trade.
“We need a better grasp and understanding of the networks, the financial kingpins behind this, where the money goes, how the money comes in, who purchases what,” he said in an interview on JoyNews.
He lamented that authorities continue to focus on minor offenders while ignoring the powerful figures who sustain the illegal mining economy. “We are only playing with the small boys and the small girls, so until we really come to grips with the powers that be behind this process, I think yes, we will have superficial successes, but really making a dent into this is still a joke,” he said.
Prof. Aning argued that Ghana’s response has been short-sighted, prioritizing temporary results over meaningful structural change.
“We are only looking at short-term successes and gains, but overlooking the long-term interventions that will cure this,” he stressed.
He also questioned the effectiveness of state security institutions and the level of commitment from leadership to address the crisis.
“How can NAIMOS do what it is doing, and the statutory security agencies under Act 1030 of 2020, the Signals Act 1040 of 2020, and the National Security Strategy document, which classifies illicit mining as one of four key threats, cannot get this job done?” he asked.
According to him, the issue ultimately comes down to the kind of leadership and political commitment driving anti-galamsey efforts. “Then it is a matter of the nature of the political will that must back the institutional processes and give them the tools to deliver,” he added.
