Ghana faces calls for state of emergency over illegal mining

The Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference has called for a state of emergency to address the escalating crisis of illegal mining, known as galamsey. Most Rev. Matthew Gyamfi, President of the Conference, argued that the scale of environmental and public health destruction requires radical government intervention beyond conventional enforcement routines. The Bishops framed the issue as a national protection crisis, emphasizing the state's failure to secure water bodies, forests, and food systems.

In a separate approach to the crisis, economic analyst Senyo Hosi has proposed radical mining reforms centered on technological advancement. Hosi suggests that the fight against galamsey could be won by increasing gold recovery rates from approximately 30 percent to 95 percent through modern processing and professional practices. This strategy aims to make environmentally responsible small-scale mining more profitable than illegal operations, addressing the economic drivers that sustain the industry.