Mr. Frank Tuffuor of Advocacy Ghana has described the financiers and kingpins behind illegal mining, popularly known as galamsey, as "psychopaths," calling for uncompromising action against them.
Speaking during a panel discussion on GBC Radio Central's Centre Stage programme on Saturday, October 11, 2025, Mr. Tuffuor said these individuals care only about profit, with no regard for the devastating impact of their activities on people and the environment.
"Probably, they are not even aware that they are destroying the very environment that sustains them," he remarked.
He warned that illegal mining poses an existential threat to Ghana, undermining food security, sovereignty, and the country's water resources. "The government's vision to achieve food security will be dashed if galamsey isn't stopped," he cautioned. "We could soon have to import water from other countries, which would worsen our already struggling currency."
Joining the discussion, the Head of the Department of Soil Science at the School of Agriculture, University of Cape Coast (UCC), Dr. Kofi Atiah, criticised successive governments for failing to fully engage the nation's experts in finding practical, science-based solutions to the galamsey crisis.
He argued that Ghanaian scientists -- especially chemists, soil experts, and environmental specialists -- have not been adequately tasked to develop sustainable and implementable strategies to combat the menace.
"Government must task its professors -- chemists, environmental and agricultural scientists from our universities -- and I bet you, they would be able to provide workable solutions," Dr. Atiah stated.
He noted that countries such as the United States, Australia, and China also mine extensively but have put in place sustainable measures to mitigate environmental harm. "In some of these countries, water used for mining is treated to safe levels before being discharged into rivers. Why can't the same be done in Ghana?" he questioned.
Dr. Atiah argued that the government's limited investment in the mining sector has weakened its oversight capacity. He proposed that the state should invest directly and consolidate small-scale mining groups into larger, well-regulated units to improve monitoring and compliance.
He added that once this structure is in place, affordable technologies such as membrane filtration systems could be installed at mining sites, which miners could use at a fee.
On the role of technology, Dr. Atiah suggested the development of a digital platform to help the Ghana Gold Board distinguish between gold from legal and illegal sources. "When that system is operational and government refuses to buy illegally mined gold, miners will have no choice but to comply with the law," he said.
Dr. Atiah further highlighted the grave health implications of galamsey, noting that contaminated water and food pose serious risks to public health. "We don't have the technology to scan market food items for heavy metals or trace their origins. The danger is real," he warned.
He cautioned that if drastic measures are not taken, Ghana could face a public health disaster. "A time will come when this country cannot afford dialysis consumables for the number of citizens who will need treatment weekly. That time is not far away," he stressed.
Counsellor Enoch Forson, another panelist, revealed that galamsey activities are now occurring within the Cape Coast Metropolis, particularly in Efutu along the Jukwa stretch. "Galamsey is now happening within the metropolis. It's closer to us than we might imagine," he said.
He noted that the social acceptance of galamsey in some communities makes the fight even more difficult and called for intensified public education using graphic images and videos to expose its devastating consequences.
The panelists unanimously agreed that illegal mining has reached alarming levels and must be tackled decisively through scientific innovation, strong enforcement, and sustained public education.