Kofi Bentil: “Government More Focused on Mobilising Gold Than Stopping Galamsey” — After Mahama’s CSO Meeting

Senior Vice President of IMANI Africa, Kofi Bentil, has sharply criticised the government’s current posture towards illegal mining, known locally as galamsey, stating that the administration appears more interested in organising and mobilising gold than genuinely halting the destruction of the nation’s environment.

Bentil made his remarks following President John Dramani Mahama’s recent meeting with Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) on the ongoing galamsey crisis, where discussions centred on tackling the escalating environmental degradation caused by illegal mining activities.

⚠️ “We’re Mining Ourselves into Destruction”

According to Bentil, while government officials publicly commit to combating galamsey, their actions tell a different story.

“What we are seeing is not an anti-galamsey campaign but a gold mobilisation effort. The focus seems to be on finding ways to collect more gold revenue, not saving our rivers and forests,” Bentil lamented.

He argued that the Water Resources Commission, the Forestry Commission, and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) have all been rendered ineffective due to political interference and lack of enforcement support.

“Our major rivers — the Pra, Offin, and Ankobra — are dying. Yet government machinery looks more like an organised gold-collection system than an environmental protection structure,” he said.

🧩 Mahama’s Meeting with CSOs

During the meeting, President Mahama called for a “collective approach” in fighting illegal mining, emphasising that tackling the menace requires the collaboration of CSOs, local communities, and security agencies.

However, Bentil and other policy analysts view the President’s message as a repeat of political rhetoric, stressing that without decisive enforcement, transparency, and the prosecution of politically connected offenders, the calls for collaboration will amount to little.

“We’ve heard the same speeches under different governments. Yet the destruction is now worse — turbidity levels have reached crisis levels, and some communities no longer have potable water,” Bentil warned.

🌍 Environmental Crisis Deepens

Environmental experts report that turbidity levels in key water bodies have risen more than 500 times the safe limit, endangering both agriculture and public health. The Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL) has warned that if the trend continues, the country could face a national water supply emergency within a decade.

Meanwhile, satellite data from the Forestry Commission indicate that more than 35,000 hectares of forest cover have been lost to illegal mining since 2021, particularly in the Western, Eastern, and Ashanti Regions.

🔎 Call for Transparency and Enforcement

Kofi Bentil urged the government to publish all licensed small-scale mining data, enforce environmental laws without fear or favour, and dissolve political cartels benefiting from the illegal mining trade.

“Ghana doesn’t need more meetings; it needs action,” he stated. “Until we see excavators seized and politicians arrested for aiding galamsey, this remains business as usual — not reform.”

Nsemgh.com Analysis:

Bentil’s remarks echo a growing public sentiment that political will, not lack of awareness, is the biggest obstacle in Ghana’s fight against illegal mining. With worsening water pollution, forest destruction, and community displacement, the nation’s gold rush may soon come at the cost of its survival.