A major policy dialogue in Accra has called for a fundamental shift in Ghana’s approach to illegal mining, urging authorities to move beyond enforcement crackdowns and instead focus on strengthening local governance systems.
Speaking at the opening of the forum themed “Beyond the Crackdown: A Policy Dialogue on Putting District Assemblies at the Heart of Mining Governance in Ghana,” representatives of research teams from JPRS Consulting and SysGlo Solutions Ghana said the country has not fully understood the nature of the problem it is trying to solve.
According to the researchers, years of fieldwork in mining communities reveal that illegal mining is not simply a law enforcement issue, but a complex economic, social, and governance system.
“For many years, we have treated galamsey primarily as a law enforcement issue, but what we see on the ground tells a completely different story,” the speaker noted.
The research team explained that their findings are based on direct engagement with miners, traditional leaders, district officials, and regulators across mining communities.
They stressed that galamsey operates as a livelihood system, especially for young people facing unemployment.
“Young people told us clearly: ‘We are not criminals; we are jobless and we just want a livelihood,’” the speaker said.
The team also highlighted concerns from traditional authorities, who questioned why decisions about land are often made without their involvement, as well as frustrations from district officials who say they are expected to manage mining issues without adequate authority or resources.
“District officials told us they are expected to solve the problem, but are not given the tools or authority to do so,” the remarks added.
The researchers argued that Ghana’s current approach has focused heavily on strengthening policies at the national level, while neglecting governance structures at the local level, where the impact of mining is most felt.
They made a clear distinction between enforcement and governance, explaining that enforcement refers to actions such as crackdowns, patrols, and military interventions, while governance involves the design of institutions, monitoring systems, and accountability mechanisms.
“If we continue to treat this problem only as one of enforcement, we will continue to get the same results we have seen for the past two decades,” the speaker warned.
Instead, the dialogue is pushing for a new approach that places District Assemblies at the centre of mining governance, allowing for more effective coordination, monitoring, and community engagement.
The forum is also aimed at identifying practical solutions rather than assigning blame.
“We are not here to assign blame. We are here to clarify the problem, test ideas, and identify practical pathways forward,” the speaker emphasized.
Participants at the dialogue are being encouraged to rethink existing strategies and collaborate across institutions to build a system that allows legal participation, effective regulation, and community trust.
The organisers believe that treating galamsey as a governance issue rather than purely an enforcement challenge could lead to more sustainable and lasting solutions.
