Former President John Dramani Mahama has unveiled a comprehensive plan aimed at eradicating illegal small-scale mining (galamsey) and reviving Ghana’s deteriorating environment should he win the 2024 elections.

In a meeting with the clergy on October 1, 2024, he stressed the need to regulate small-scale mining legally while emphasizing the importance of environmental preservation.

“Small-scale mining is recognized by law and must be done in a manner that does not harm the environment. We cannot turn a blind eye to the degradation of our lands, water bodies, and forest reserves. This is why, under my administration, we will undertake a comprehensive audit of all mining concessions issued in this country. We will identify the beneficial owners behind these concessions, and they will be held accountable for any illegal mining activities on their land,” he stated.

He highlighted the importance of concession owners taking responsibility for illegal activities on their land, warning that severe actions would be taken if violations occur. “If illegal mining or galamsey takes place on your concession, that concession will be taken away from you. We cannot allow individuals to profit at the expense of the environment and the health of our people,” he emphasized.

He also shared his vision for environmental renewal, committing to national efforts to restore polluted water bodies and damaged lands. “We will promote responsible mining and wage a war against illegal mining or galamsey. This will involve an aggressive program to reclaim our polluted water bodies, degraded lands, and our devastated forest reserves. Through initiatives like the ‘Tree for Life’ and ‘Blue Water’ programs, we will ensure that our natural resources are restored for future generations,” he added.

The former president’s plan is to stop new mining activities in forest reserves and strengthen laws to deter illegal mining. “We shall ban the granting of new mining leases and activities in our forest reserves. Additionally, we shall amend the Minerals and Mining Law to impose stiffer punishments on people who mine in water bodies, because we cannot afford to lose our rivers and lakes,” he declared.

To prevent conflicts of interest, he made it clear that government officials under his administration would be prohibited from participating in mining. “Under my government, all appointees will be prohibited from engaging in legal or illegal mining. If you want to mine, go and mine. You can’t serve in government and mine at the same time. This will ensure that no one is tempted to exploit their position for personal gain,” he insisted.

He further proposed mandatory training for small-scale miners to encourage sustainable practices. “Small-scale mining concession holders will be compelled to undertake skills training in modern, responsible mining methods and land reclamation. We cannot continue with the old methods that destroy our environment,” he stressed.

He added that part of the revenue from small-scale mining would be set aside for environmental reclamation. “A portion of revenues from the mining of small-scale miners will be put aside for reclaiming the land after they have finished mining. If they fail to reclaim the land, that fund will be paid to somebody else to come and reclaim the land and plant trees back on the land. This will ensure that the damage done to the environment is reversed,” Mahama concluded.