Pan-Africanist, legal practitioner and governance expert, Prof Patrick Loch Otieno Lumumba, has blamed the persistence of illegal small-scale mining, popularly known as galamsey, on failures in governance, warning that delayed action is deepening environmental and human costs.
Speaking at a virtual environmental conference organised by the Institute of Governance Ethics and Religion (IGER-AFRICA) on Friday, December 5, Prof Lumumba said the damage caused by galamsey to water bodies, farmlands and livelihoods demands an urgent and emergency-level response.
The conference was held under the theme, “Navigating the Challenges of Illegal Mining in Ghana: Impact on Individuals, Communities, Health and Policy.”
According to Prof Lumumba, the rush for quick money has driven many people away from productive employment into illegal mining, with long-term consequences for society.
He warned that unchecked exploitation is destroying the soil and food chain, leaving everyone worse off.
“The time is now for us to do the right thing,” he said, stressing that delays only compound the crisis.
Prof Lumumba further called on governments to move beyond rhetoric, insisting that results, not intentions, must be used to judge policies and laws.
He said governments that campaigned on promises to tackle illegal mining must be held accountable to deliver measurable change.
“This problem needs to be treated as an emergency,” he noted, adding that effective implementation, not policy pronouncements, is the real test of leadership.
He also broadened the discussion to Africa’s mining sector, arguing that foreign dominance has left many countries without control over their natural resources.
According to him, most major mining companies operating across Africa, including Ghana, are foreign-owned, limiting local influence over mining agendas.
“If you come to Ghana, the top mining companies are not Ghanaians. The same is true in the DRC, Botswana, Namibia, South Africa and Nigeria,” he said.
Prof Lumumba questioned why illegal mining continues to thrive despite seemingly robust legal frameworks and policy commitments.
He pointed out that in Ghana, environmental destruction linked to galamsey persists even with laws meant to regulate mining.
“The question we must ask is: what is the problem?” he said.
IGER-AFRICA, organisers of the conference, promote ethical leadership, good governance and interfaith dialogue to advance peace, social justice and sustainable development across Africa.
