Sam Jonah urges empowerment of traditional leaders and communities in fight against illegal mining

Mr Sam Jonah, Chancellor of the University of Cape Coast, has called for the active involvement of traditional leaders and local communities in Ghana’s fight against illegal mining, popularly known as galamsey.

Speaking during a fireside chat with students of Wisconsin University in Accra, he argued that chiefs and community leaders must be part of decision-making in the granting of mining rights since they directly bear the consequences of environmental destruction.

“There is no traditional leader who wants to see rivers destroyed and forests cleared without having the authority to stop it,” he said. “If licenses are given in Accra without involving chiefs, then no wonder nobody controls what happens on the ground.”

He noted that Ghana’s mining laws were adequate but poorly enforced, largely because communities and chiefs had been sidelined. “It is not that we need more laws. The laws are very clear. What is missing is enforcement and the involvement of traditional leaders in the process,” he added.

Mr Jonah also pointed to the socio-economic realities fuelling galamsey, estimating that about five million Ghanaians are engaged in small-scale mining due to the economy’s inability to create sufficient jobs. “Unless you provide alternative jobs, telling a man not to dig his backyard when he can get an ounce of gold worth $3,500 is a tough one,” he explained.

Illegal mining remains one of Ghana’s most pressing environmental challenges, destroying farmlands, polluting rivers, and causing deforestation despite several government interventions. A recent scientific study further revealed that mercury used in mining has contaminated food items, raising public health concerns.

The UCC Chancellor warned that without job creation and the empowerment of traditional leaders to regulate activities in their jurisdictions, efforts to curb galamsey would be futile.

He further urged African nations to define their own development models rather than imitate others. Addressing the students, he encouraged them to embrace technology without allowing it to replace their creativity.

“Don’t drift into the future. Design it. Draw inspiration from others but carve your own path,” he told the gathering.