Professor Ransford Edward Gyampo, Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Shippers’ Authority (GSA), has dismissed suggestions that his position on illegal mining, popularly known as galamsey, has changed.
His comments follow the circulation of videos featuring some of his past and recent remarks on illegal mining, which he said had created the impression that he is softening his stance on the menace.
“My Position on Illegal Mining Cannot Change,” Prof. Gyampo said he remained firmly opposed to galamsey and continued to support stronger measures to protect Ghana’s forests, water bodies and other natural resources.
He explained that his recent comments were intended to assess the government’s response to illegal mining rather than suggest that the problem had been resolved.
According to him, his position has remained consistent since he began publicly advocating against the menace.
Prof. Gyampo recalled that during his earlier activism on the issue, he encountered authorities and other individuals who, he claimed, were reluctant to take decisive action because of concerns about the political consequences of fighting illegal mining.
“When I was leading the charge then, I got face to face with authorities who bluntly told me they won’t do anything in the fight for the fear of losing elections,” he stated.
He further alleged that some people denied the existence of galamsey, while others attempted to undermine his advocacy through attacks, the formation of splinter groups and efforts to persuade leaders of advocacy groups to abandon their positions.
He also claimed to have faced threats to his life and defamatory publications because of his position, while some ministers allegedly declined invitations to engage in discussions on the matter.
While insisting that illegal mining remains a serious national problem, Prof. Gyampo said he disagreed with claims that the government had failed to acknowledge or take action against the menace.
He argued that the government has adopted a different posture by openly recognising the existence of the problem and introducing a number of interventions to address it.
“I forcefully disagree with anyone who thinks we cannot pat the government on its shoulder for at least moving away from the attitude of impunity and daring to do something in the fight against the menace,” he said.
Prof. Gyampo cited the activities of the National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS) as one of the measures being undertaken to confront illegal mining.
He also pointed to the establishment of new tribunals intended, among other things, to facilitate the expeditious handling of galamsey-related cases.
Other measures he mentioned included the repeal of legislation which, according to him, had been passed by the previous government to permit mining in forest areas, as well as the state’s takeover of forest areas designated as no-go zones.
He further cited reforms to the mining licensing regime, including the revocation of licences he alleged were improperly issued after the December 7, 2024 elections.
According to Prof. Gyampo, efforts are also being made to overhaul and decentralise the mining licensing process as part of attempts to strengthen regulation and oversight within the sector.
He said measures has been introduced to track excavators entering the country through the ports, with the objective of preventing such equipment from ending up in illegal mining operations.
He also highlighted efforts to reclaim lands that have been degraded by mining activities.
Beyond enforcement, Prof. Gyampo said the government had engaged civil society organisations (CSOs) on the galamsey challenge instead of treating them as opponents.
He cited the Blue Water Initiative as an example of an alternative livelihood intervention, claiming that the programme had trained and deployed almost 1,000 young people to help protect Ghana’s water bodies.
He further stated that more than 250 excavators and other equipment allegedly connected to illegal mining had been seized.
Prof. Gyampo also claimed that more than 250 people were currently being prosecuted for galamsey-related offences, which he said was higher than the number of prosecutions recorded during the previous eight years.
Despite highlighting these interventions, Prof. Gyampo acknowledged that illegal mining remains widespread and that the measures implemented so far have not eliminated the problem.
He said his appearance on TV3’s Key Points programme on Saturday was intended to acknowledge both the government’s efforts and the continuing challenges posed by galamsey.
“I admitted that though the fight is on and the outlined measures are still in force, the menace persists and agreed with the calls for radical measures to address the phenomenon,” he said.
He therefore urged commentators and the public to assess the government’s performance by considering both the measures introduced and the fact that illegal mining continues to persist.
Prof. Gyampo said demands for stronger action were legitimate, but argued that such calls should also acknowledge measures already being implemented.
“I again asked every objective analysis of the issues to first look at what is being done vis-a-vis the persistence of the phenomenon while making calls for more to be done in order for one to be balanced in his view on the matter,” he stated.
The GSA CEO stressed that recognising government interventions should not be mistaken for a declaration that the fight against illegal mining has been won.
He said he had never claimed that galamsey had been completely eradicated and maintained that he would continue to advocate stronger action.
“I have never said Galamsey has been dealt with fully and I have never shied away from calling for more to be done in addressing the menace,” he stated.
Prof. Gyampo described galamsey as an “existential threat” and called for a more radical response to the problem.
He also explained why he considered it important to acknowledge government action while demanding further interventions.
“I would prefer a government that openly admits the problem and put in measures (even if adjudged not to be enough) to deal with the issue, to a government that openly refuses to admit the prevalence of the phenomenon and refuses to do anything about it,” he said.
Prof. Gyampo maintained that Ghanaians have every right to demand stronger action because illegal mining continues to threaten the environment and water resources.
However, he urged the public to make such demands while recognising measures already taken by the government.
“Galamsey still lingers on, and yes, this government at least has the attitude that admits and puts in place measures to address the menace,” he said.
“Yes, citizens have every right to demand more to be done especially when the phenomenon still persists. Yes, any such demand must be honest in admitting what is being done while calling for more.”
He insisting that his opposition to illegal mining remains unchanged and that he would continue to articulate the position whenever the issue arises.
“Galamsey remain an existential threat that must be radically confronted,” Prof. Gyampo stressed.
His comments come amid continuing public debate over Ghana’s response to illegal mining, particularly concerns about the destruction of forests, pollution of water bodies and degradation of agricultural lands.
By 1960news.com
