The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has acknowledged that the fight against illegal mining, commonly known as galamsey, remains a formidable challenge and requires a collective approach to succeed.
Speaking to Parliament’s Assurance Committee in Accra, the Executive Director of the EPA, Dr. John Kingsley Krugu, emphasized that until all stakeholders unite to combat the menace, efforts to curb water pollution, forest depletion, and land degradation will prove futile.
“Galamsey is a difficult challenge. The more you try to arrest persons engaged in it, the more people move into it.
I feel sad about the state of our water bodies, but it is all of us as Ghanaians who have the collective responsibility to deal with it,” Dr. Krugu remarked.
He noted that no single agency is responsible for achieving tangible results in the fight against illegal mining.
Instead, it requires the concerted efforts of all Ghanaians.
“If all of us are not happy with what we are seeing, we all have to take the needed action to correct it,” he added.
Dr. Krugu’s comments follow the government’s renewed efforts to tackle the galamsey issue, prompted by increasing pressure from Organised Labour and Civil Society groups.
He further explained that the illegal mining industry is complex, requiring the involvement of various agencies along the value chain to address the situation effectively.
Assigning blame to specific institutions, he cautioned, would only hinder progress in the fight against the illegal activity, which has severely polluted major water sources across the country.
According to an EPA assessment, none of the illegal miners have been granted permission by the Agency, which Dr. Krugu said dispels claims that the EPA has failed in its regulatory duties.
However, he admitted that monitoring illegal mining activities has been challenging due to the EPA’s limited personnel and resources.
When illegal miners are located, they are often armed, posing a significant threat to EPA officers. In such cases, the Agency relies on national security for support.
Despite the obstacles, Dr. Krugu affirmed that the EPA remains committed to ensuring that miners adhere to environmental protocols.
The Agency, currently staffed with 700 personnel, is short of the 1,500 needed to carry out its mandate effectively.
“So there are capacity challenges, but every now and then, we are making efforts to increase our workforce, acquire equipment, and deploy technology to reach every corner of this country to protect the environment,” he said.
He also urged the Parliamentary Committee to advocate for the amendment of the EPA Act, which is currently under consideration, to elevate the Agency to the status of an Authority for greater effectiveness.
Dr. Krugu highlighted another critical concern—the use of cyanide by illegal miners, which is often smuggled into the country from Burkina Faso.
He called on the National Security apparatus to tighten controls to prevent the influx of these harmful chemicals into Ghana.
As the galamsey crisis persists, Dr. Krugu’s call for collaboration underscores the need for a unified, all-hands-on-deck approach to safeguard Ghana’s environment and natural resources.
