THE ENVIRONMENTAL advocacy group, Climate Frontier Advocacy (CFA) has issued a passionate call to the Mahama-led NDC government to take immediate and decisive action to curb the escalating menace of illegal mining, known locally as galamsey.
In a strongly worded statement released today, the group is demanding the immediate revocation of Legislative Instrument (LI) 2462 and the declaration of a state of emergency in all galamsey-affected areas.
According to CFA, the introduction of LI 2462 in 2022 under the former Akufo-Addo administration has created a legal loophole that emboldens illegal miners, especially those using high-tech and militarized equipment, to destroy Ghana’s forests, rivers and farmlands with impunity.
“The cancer of High-Tech Galamsey has reached unbearable proportions,” the statement reads. “What began as small-scale unauthorized mining has morphed into a full-blown environmental assault on our ecosystems and communities.”
CFA argues that LI 2462, rather than regulating small-scale mining, has been exploited by illegal actors as a shield for unchecked environmental destruction. The group insists that repealing the legislation is the first step toward restoring environmental integrity and creating space for a smarter, stricter framework for responsible mining.
But CFA’s demands go beyond legislation. The group is urging the government to declare a state of emergency in areas affected by illegal mining, a move they believe would allow for coordinated security, environmental assessments and community-based monitoring efforts.
“Entire communities are now surrounded by poisoned water, collapsed farmland and craters where forests once stood,” said Dr. John-Baptist Naah, Executive Director and Founder of CFA. “We are in a climate crisis and every tree cut and river polluted weakens our resilience.”
While acknowledging the initial steps taken by the current administration to address the crisis, CFA emphasized that more robust, long-term interventions are necessary. “Repealing LI 2462 alone will not solve the problem,” Dr. Naah added. “We need a national mindset shift, inter-agency cooperation and sustained grassroots involvement.”
CFA warned that unless the government acts swiftly and boldly, Ghana risks irreversible environmental and climate damage. The group concluded by calling on all Ghanaians to support efforts that prioritize people and the planet over short-term profit.
“This generation cannot afford to fail the next,” the statement ended. “The time to act is now.”
Source: Nationaltymes.com
