Illegal Mining Is Organised Crime” — Major Dr. Agyemang Declares on Newsfile
Security and environmental analyst Major (Dr.) Albert Agyemang (Rtd.) has described illegal mining (galamsey) in Ghana as a form of organised crime, warning that the menace has evolved far beyond small-scale community activity into a complex criminal network involving powerful financiers, local authorities, and foreign interests.
Speaking on Joy FM’s Newsfile over the weekend, Major Dr. Agyemang said it is time the government redefined galamsey not as a social problem but a national security threat, citing evidence of coordination, money laundering, and armed protection within the illegal mining industry.
⚠️ “Galamsey Is Not Random — It’s Organised, Funded, and Protected”
According to Major Dr. Agyemang, the current structure of illegal mining shows clear characteristics of criminal syndication, with defined roles ranging from financiers, equipment suppliers, and middlemen to local informants and corrupt officials who protect their operations.
“This is not an ordinary group of villagers digging for survival. What we are seeing is an organised network — financed, equipped, and protected — with strong political and security links. That makes it organised crime,” he asserted.
He explained that the importation of heavy machinery, the use of explosives and harmful chemicals, and the illegal export of raw gold are all indicators of a structured and coordinated system, not spontaneous individual activity.
“These groups operate across districts and regions with intelligence coordination. That is no different from how narcotics syndicates work,” he added.
🧩 Government and Security Agencies Under Fire
Major Dr. Agyemang criticised both the government and security agencies for failing to dismantle the networks driving galamsey, suggesting that corruption and political protection have allowed the problem to deepen.
“When soldiers or police officers are sent to galamsey sites and come back with gold, not arrests, that tells you the system is compromised,” he said.
He further urged the National Security Council, EOCO, and the Financial Intelligence Centre to treat illegal mining as a matter of economic sabotage and money laundering, not merely environmental destruction.
“If we can trace and freeze accounts of people funding terrorism, we can do same for those funding galamsey. The gold being stolen is national wealth — it is state capture,” he noted.
🌍 Environmental and Economic Impact
Ghana is currently facing one of the worst environmental crises in its history, with the Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL) warning of possible shutdowns in major treatment plants due to chemical contamination and high turbidity from galamsey operations.
Experts estimate that Ghana loses over $2 billion annually through illegal gold exports, while the Forestry Commission reports the loss of more than 30,000 hectares of forest cover between 2020 and 2024 due to mining-related deforestation.
“The economic cost is staggering, but the environmental cost is irreversible,” Major Dr. Agyemang emphasised. “We are destroying the future of our children for a few ounces of illegal gold.”
🔍 Calls for Action and Accountability
The retired army officer called on President Mahama’s administration to form a National Anti-Illegal Mining Task Force backed by law enforcement, financial investigators, and environmental scientists, not just soldiers.
“This fight cannot be won with public speeches and meetings. It needs intelligence, prosecution, and asset seizure — that’s how you fight organised crime,” he stated.
He also encouraged CSOs, the media, and community leaders to expose the financiers behind galamsey operations, saying public silence is feeding the criminal network.
Nsemgh.com Insight:
Major Dr. Agyemang’s bold statement redefines the national conversation on galamsey, framing it as a coordinated criminal enterprise rather than isolated local activity. His analysis calls for a complete shift from political lip service to intelligence-driven national security enforcement.