Dormaahene, Osagyefo Oseadeeyo Agyeman Badu II, has noted that illegal small-scale mining, popularly called galamsey, has reduced under the administration of President John Dramani Mahama. However, he cautioned that the practice still poses a serious threat and must be completely eliminated.
Speaking in Accra on Thursday, October 2, after being sworn in as a Justice of the Court of Appeal together with 20 others, the traditional leader explained that while galamsey did not originate under the current government, interventions introduced in recent years have helped curb its expansion.
“I have occupied this stool for almost 26 and a half years. Galamsey has been around for a long time; it did not begin today. But if you ask me for an assessment, I can confidently say its rate has declined,” he remarked.
He credited the decline to stronger enforcement measures and community-level initiatives, pointing out that illegal operators who once acted with impunity are no longer as active. “If you consider some of the steps taken—like the introduction of the blue water guards—it is clear that progress has been made. Before this regime, I witnessed nine forest reserves being taken over, but that has now been curtailed,” he added.
Despite acknowledging this progress, the Dormaahene stressed that the fight is not over. He emphasized the need for government, the Lands Ministry, and citizens to sustain efforts to permanently tackle the menace. “I will not say galamsey is gone; it still exists. But given the level of seriousness now, I believe we must work harder to uproot it completely,” he said.
He further declared that there would be zero tolerance for illegal mining in the Dormaa area, vowing to personally apprehend offenders and hand them over to the police for prosecution.
The Dormaahene also appealed to Ghanaians to safeguard the country’s natural resources. “This is the heritage our ancestors left us. We should not destroy our water bodies or cocoa farms. Let us practice proper farming methods so that we can all enjoy a sustainable future,” he urged