The Minority in Parliament has sounded the alarm over the growing human toll of illegal mining, revealing that at least 17 Ghanaians died between January and July 2025 due to galamsey-related incidents.
According to the caucus, these deaths highlight the devastating impact of the government’s failure to enforce mining regulations and its lack of political will to tackle the menace that continues to destroy lives, farmlands, and water bodies across the country.
Call for Urgent Action
Delivering a statement on the floor of Parliament on Wednesday, November 5, 2025, Akwasi Konadu, Deputy Ranking Member on the Lands and Natural Resources Committee, urged the government to take urgent and decisive steps to address the crisis.
“From January to July 2025, Ghana recorded at least 17 deaths linked directly to galamsey activities. These are not mere statistics; these are Ghanaian lives, breadwinners, mothers, sons, and daughters lost to the reckless pursuit of unregulated mineral wealth,” Mr. Konadu said.
He lamented that despite repeated warnings, the government had yet to take firm action to prevent such tragedies, leaving communities vulnerable to unsafe mining practices.
Blame on Weak Enforcement
Mr. Konadu further noted that the persistent loss of lives and environmental destruction stemmed from ineffective law enforcement and, in some cases, the complicity of certain state and traditional authorities.
“Mr. Speaker, how many lives must be lost before urgent, decisive action is taken? The prevalence of death and environmental collapse is a direct consequence of ineffective law enforcement, lack of political will, and, in some instances, the involvement of state actors,” he emphasized.
Minority’s Demands
The Minority caucus has therefore called on the government to strengthen law enforcement, prosecute offenders, and show a genuine commitment to ending illegal mining. They warned that failure to act could lead to further loss of life and irreversible damage to Ghana’s environment and water resources.
Environmental experts and civil society groups have echoed similar concerns, urging authorities to back their rhetoric with real action to combat galamsey before it escalates beyond control.
