Daniel Laar writes
Ghana’s fight against illegal mining has entered a new and more troubling phase, as critical questions about mining licences, gold purchases, and environmental safety continue to expose deep cracks in the country’s mineral governance system. From unexplained licensing surges to fears that GoldBod may be indirectly sustaining illicit mining, experts warn the situation may be far worse than government admits.
Hundreds of Licences Issued in Days but Who Received Them?
Fresh scrutiny has fallen on the Minerals Commission after revelations that over 300 mining-related licences were issued within the first week of January 2025, immediately before the change of government. The scale and speed of the approvals have raised eyebrows among civil society groups, who question whether due diligence, environmental checks, and community consultations were followed.
The Commission has yet to publicly release the full list of beneficiaries, fuelling suspicion that political patronage and last-minute concessions may have influenced the approvals.
Is GoldBod Buying Gold From Illegal Miners? Government Silent.
At the centre of growing controversy is the Ghana Gold Board (GoldBod), the newly established regulator tasked with overseeing gold trading and ensuring transparency. While GoldBod insists it sources gold only from licensed small-scale miners, industry insiders and operators claim that a significant portion of the gold entering the system originates from unlicensed — and therefore illegal galamsey sites.
Some miners allege that gold from the “black market” is being laundered through licensed buyers, eventually ending up in GoldBod’s supply chain. Despite mounting concerns, GoldBod has not provided any comprehensive, independently verified data on the quantum of gold it receives from each source category.
“The truth is simple,” one mining official told this reporter. “If illegal miners have become the backbone of Ghana’s gold output, then any system that buys gold without verifying its origin is indirectly financing galamsey.”
Water Bodies Still Toxic Despite Political Promises
Despite repeated assurances from successive governments — including high-profile anti-galamsey task forces — Ghana’s major water bodies remain severely polluted. From mercury contamination to heavy siltation, rivers such as the Pra, Offin, Ankobra, and Birim show little to no signs of recovery.
Environmental scientists warn that some rivers now contain mercury levels more than 100 times above WHO safety limits, rendering entire communities vulnerable to kidney diseases, cancers, and neurological disorders.
“We are nowhere near safe,” a water quality expert told BEDEREN FM’s Daniel Dammir Laar. “The damage is so deep and widespread that Ghana is risking an irreversible water security crisis.”
Questions Mount Over Political Accountability
As tensions rise, so too do political questions. Critics are asking whether the ruling government — which campaigned heavily on fighting galamsey and restoring environmental integrity — has delivered on its promises.
Opposition voices are also under scrutiny. Analysts argue that while the NDC campaigned aggressively on allegations of government failure, there is limited evidence that their rhetoric has translated into decisive reforms since assuming office.
“What Ghanaians want now is truth, not slogans,” says a political analyst. “Who lied? Who failed? Who benefitted? And who is still enabling the crisis? These are the questions politicians from both sides refuse to answer.”
Communities Still Pay the Highest Price
In mining-affected areas, residents are losing farms, clean water, livelihoods and health — even as gold output rises. Farmers continue to be displaced without compensation, rivers remain unsafe, and forests are disappearing at alarming rates.
To many, the crisis is not just environmental or economic — it is a matter of survival.
“We are being poisoned slowly,” a resident of a mining community said. “And the people with power do not care, because they are benefitting from the gold.”
A National Crisis With No Clear End in Sight
With unanswered questions about licensing, gold sourcing, environmental safety, and political honesty, Ghana’s galamsey crisis appears to be spiralling into what analysts call the most severe natural resource governance failure in decades.
Until government publishes full data on licences, transparently audits GoldBod’s gold-buying operations, and releases independent water quality reports, public trust will remain shattered, and the fight against illegal mining will remain crippled.
