In a meeting with representatives from key media outlets on Monday, March 24, 2025, Hon. Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, urged the media to play a crucial role in fighting illegal mining (galamsey).
In order to combat the disastrous effects of galamsey on water bodies and forest reserves, the engagement sought to explain its complexity and mobilize media support.
The Minister highlighted the seriousness of the problem by revealing concerning data, such as soil degradation equal to 7,500 football fields and turbidity levels in water treated by the Ghana Water Company Limited that can reach up to 12,000 NTU, significantly higher than the allowable limit of 500 NTU.
Additionally, he disclosed that when the Mahama administration came to power, nine forest reserves were completely controlled by illegal miners.
In order to combat galamsey, Hon. Armah-Kofi Buah proposed a five-point plan: enforcing the law, reorganizing monitoring teams, engaging stakeholders with local authorities and traditional leaders, deploying technology for real-time tracking, and raising public awareness to promote shared responsibility. He placed a strong emphasis on decentralizing the licensing process so that District Security Councils and traditional leaders can participate in mining decisions.
The Minister urged media professionals to avoid politicization while continuing to be outspoken and impartial in the fight against galamsey. In order to support government attempts to handle this national catastrophe, media representatives promised to use their platforms.