Ghana faces renewed pressure to tackle its illegal mining epidemic following a tragic helicopter crash that claimed the lives of eight officials, including Defence Minister Dr. Edward Omane Boamah and Environment Minister Dr. Ibrahim Murtala Mohammed.
The ill-fated flight, en route to launch a small-scale mining initiative in Obuasi last Wednesday, ended in catastrophe, leaving the nation in mourning. At the ministers’ state funeral on Friday, Foreign Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa described the victims as “Martyrs of August 6” and called on the government to carry forward their environmental mission.
“Their unfinished mission for environmental justice must now be accomplished in earnest,” he said.
The crash has intensified calls for radical measures against galamsey—the local term for illegal mining. Kofi Bentil, Vice President of policy think tank IMANI Africa, urged a total ban on excavator imports subject to strict licensing and the seizure of lands where illegal mining occurs.
“Forfeit to the state, so any chief who allows galamsey loses that land,” he stated, alleging complicity among police, military officers, and local government officials.
Professor Ransford Gyampo, CEO of the Ghana Shippers Authority, warned that “Enough is enough. It’s either we destroy galamsey or it destroys us,” highlighting the urgent need for decisive action.
Environmental advocacy group ISODEC labelled galamsey an “existential threat” to the country, citing poisoned water bodies, biodiversity loss, and public health crises.
The organisation called for immediate measures, including a mining state of emergency, repeal of Act LI 2462, accelerated sustainable community mining programs, and rigorous pursuit of illegal mining operators with asset seizures.
“As we reflect on the lives lost… we are reminded of the urgent responsibility… to safeguard our precious resources,” the statement read.
With public pressure mounting and environmental groups demanding a crackdown, the government faces a critical test.
Ablakwa framed the ministers’ legacy as a call to action, while experts insist that success depends not only on legislation but on rooting out the alleged corruption that allows illegal mining to flourish.
“Let us honour the memory of the departed by taking bold steps,” ISODEC concluded.
Ghana now stands at a crossroads: the nation’s response to galamsey in the wake of tragedy could define its environmental and political landscape for years to come.
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