According to the paper, it is critical for stakeholders at this moment to move beyond fragmented crackdowns and instead pursue long-term solutions and interventions that balance environmental protection with sustainable livelihoods.

It further suggests that every individual has an important role to play in the nation’s collective fight against illegal mining. 

According to reports, more than 60 per cent of Ghana’s rivers, including the Pra, Birim, Offin and Ankobra, are critically polluted. This illegal mining situation costs the country an estimated $2 billion annually through lost revenue and smuggled gold. It further highlights escalating health risks, such as mercury-related illnesses and the destruction of 34 forest reserves through deforestation.

Among the paper’s key recommendations were the strengthening of mining laws to close loopholes, depoliticising enforcement, targeting financiers behind illegal operations, empowering traditional authorities, and investing in alternative livelihoods for affected communities. The report also called for the use of modern technology, including drones, GIS mapping, and real-time water monitoring, alongside funding for interdisciplinary research and land restoration projects.

As a forward-thinking institution, Academic City has made combating illegal mining one of its key priorities. The university is leveraging its expertise in research, technology, and innovation to support national efforts in addressing this pressing challenge.

In line with this commitment, the university recently entered into a strategic partnership with Arima Resources Limited to advance the fight against illegal mining through research, technological innovation, and evidence-based solutions.

Under the agreement, the university will lead initiatives such as the deployment of autonomous drones for surveillance, the use of intelligent environmental monitoring systems to safeguard rivers and forests, the design of digital compliance frameworks to strengthen mining security, and the development of databases to consolidate interventions and guide policy.

The partnership will also provide opportunities for student-led research, capstone projects, and prototype development in areas such as mercury detection tools, advanced compliance monitoring systems, and socio-economic enhancing studies, further reinforcing Academic City’s role as a driver of practical solutions for Ghana’s sustainable development.

Speaking on the report, Dr. Sena Agbodjah, Vice-President for Academic Affairs, Academic City University, and a co-author of the white paper, remarked that the university viewed its role as going beyond teaching and learning to developing prototypes and establishing rural entrepreneurial efforts for youth in galamsey communities, to support this effort towards more tangible outcomes as well as economic empowerment.

“Illegal mining continues to destroy water bodies and livelihoods. By convening diverse voices and providing evidence-based solutions, we are driving a national conversation and offering practical tools to protect Ghana’s future,” she stated.

She added that copies of the white paper would be distributed to relevant stakeholders, emphasising Academic City’s commitment to working with government and partners to address the issue. 

Interested readers can access the paper, which is the maiden ACity Insight Series output, titled Unpacking Galamsey: Uncovering Treasures in Responsible Mining, on the university’s website or bit.ly/ACityInsightSeriesV1 directly to download a copy of the paper.