At a meeting with the President at the Jubilee House last Friday, the CSOs said given that galamsey posed an existential threat to the country, all persons engaged in it must be smoked out and dealt with according to the law.

For instance, the GCAG stressed that given the escalating levels of galamsey in the country and its debilitating impacts on communities, there must be "clear and urgent" action by the government to halt the menace.

"We ask you, Mr President, to clearly tell us your granular definition of success in the fight against galamsey and also share with us a definitive roadmap, with key milestones and timelines that you see will get us there," the coalition stressed.

The Convener of the GCAG, Dr Kenneth Ashigbey, who presented a signed document detailing the position of the coalition on the galamsey fight at the meeting, stressed that the time had come for concrete and   immediate action to deal ruthlessly with the persons behind the environmental crime.

He said the coalition wanted to know, among other things, the defining benchmarks that would compel President Mahama to invoke a state of emergency; the specific progress on the prosecution of kingpins, including those identified in the Prof. Frimpong Boateng report, those referred to the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) by the Attorney-General; and when the promised fast-track courts would be established to ensure swift justice.

The GCAG also demanded to know what key performance indicators (KPIs) had been set for metropolitan, municipal and district chief executives (MMDCEs) and police commanders in galamsey-endemic areas.

"We further demand the institution of a special security action to protect vulnerable anti-galamsey activists and review all ongoing prosecutions against community activists by agents of galamsey and their facilitators,” Dr Ashigbey  said.

The GCAG further demanded that the state must confiscate all lands where illegal mining was taking place, reclaim them as state land, and investigate the chiefs for complicity. 

Catholic Bishops

The CBC appealed to President Mahama to give clear benchmarks that would trigger a state of emergency in the fight against galamsey.

The CBC further called for visible prosecution of kingpins behind galamsey, including those named in official reports.

Speaking for the group, the President of the CBC, Most Rev. Matthew Kwasi Gyamfi, stressed the need for President Mahama to keep the promise to establish fast-track courts, particularly for environmental crimes.

He also called on the government to put out measurable performance indicators on the fight against galamsey for local authorities and security services.

To further strengthen the fight against the menace, the CBC President said it was important to protect communities and traditional leaders who resisted within their jurisdiction.  

"This is not merely an environmental issue; it is a public health and human rights emergency. The evidence is stark: mercury and arsenic levels in some communities exceed safe limits by hundreds of times.

"Rivers, soils and crops are contaminated; over half a million farmers have been displaced; and children are already bearing the scars of toxic exposure. Our water, our food security, and the very future of our nation are at stake," he said.

He said the Catholic Church was ready to augment the state’s efforts in awareness creation, community mobilisation and the building of a culture of stewardship for the environment Most Rev. Gyamfi emphasised that the government's posture in the galamsey fight must be one that showed that "no one is above the law, and that economic expediency cannot outweigh the sacred right to clean water, safe food and a healthy environment".

Retool journalists

The President of GJA, Albert Kwabena Dwumfour, stressed the importance of transparency and effective communication, and called for stronger collaboration with the media.

He acknowledged gains made in the anti-galamsey fight, but said the stories of success had not been effectively communicated to the public.

He urged the government to equip journalists with the tools to report from the ground, adding that “we will continue to engage and ensure the stories of progress are told”.

Inconsistencies

An environmental and political activist, Patience Tay, however, raised questions about inconsistencies in government commitments, particularly regarding the repeal of L.I. 2462, while a representative of the National Chief Imam, said strict enforcement was the missing link in the anti-galamsey agenda.

The Founding President of IMANI Centre for Policy and Education, Franklin Cudjoe, questioned whether the government’s current budget allocation for the galamsey fight was adequate.

“Last year, about GH¢10 million was allocated, later increased to GH¢15 million. We are seeing some results, yes, how much do you really need to fix this completely?” he asked.

A mining engineer and Ghanaian resident in Denver, Colorado, United States, Dr Solomon Owusu, also questioned the government’s approach of deporting foreign nationals, particularly Chinese operators, caught in galamsey activities.

Drawing comparisons to the deportation of Aisha Huang, Dr Owusu insisted that failure to prosecute foreigners while jailing Ghanaians for the same crimes exposed glaring double standards.

Priscilla Tokoli, a representative of the Fix the Country Movement, a non-partisan and non-political civic movement by Ghanaian youth, turned the spotlight on institutions that issued mining licences recklessly.

“Why have we not seen prosecutions against the frontline institutions that issue these licences?

And when is this going to begin?” she asked, stressing that without accountability for officials who enabled galamsey, the fight would remain incomplete. 

The representative of the Ghana Federation of Disability Organisations described how persons with disabilities were disproportionately affected by the environmental and health consequences of galamsey.

He highlighted the rising cases of children born with deformities and mental health conditions linked to polluted water and toxic chemicals used in illegal mining.

“We are frustrated. We are disappointed.