The National Security Secretariat is implementing a multi-agency, coordinated strategy to combat illegal mining (galamsey) more effectively, shifting away from a solely law enforcement-focused approach.
Commissioner of Police (COP) Abdul-Razak Osman, the National Security Coordinator, announced this during an address to the National House of Chiefs in Kumasi, stressing that past efforts based largely on arrests and prosecutions had yielded limited results.
“Tackling galamsey demands a holistic, community-inclusive approach,” COP Osman said, emphasizing the indispensable role of traditional leadership, civil society, and state institutions in the renewed fight.
He warned that illegal mining has evolved into a national security threat, contributing not only to environmental degradation but also to potential social unrest.
“When communities can no longer drink from their rivers, when fertile lands are rendered barren, and when young people see no future beyond the mining pits, we are facing more than an environmental crisis—it’s a recipe for lawlessness, economic despair, and social disorder,” he stated.
To better coordinate the national response, the government has established the National Anti-Illegal Mining Operation Secretariat, tasked with harmonising the efforts of various institutions and sectors.
COP Osman appealed to the chiefs to support the Secretariat’s mandate and help mobilise their communities to reject and resist illegal mining activities.
He reiterated that the Minerals and Mining Act criminalises illegal mining and called for a united front to dismantle the entrenched networks sustaining it.
The meeting with the National House of Chiefs was part of a broader national consultation effort aimed at building consensus and strengthening partnerships in the ongoing battle to preserve Ghana’s environment and development potential.