Member of Parliament for Manhyia North, Hon. Akwasi Konadu, has sounded alarm over the rising number of deaths linked to illegal mining (galamsey), describing the situation as a national tragedy and a moral failure.
He lamented that despite decades of policy interventions and public outcry, illegal mining continues to destroy the environment and claim lives across the country.
Delivering a statement on the floor of Parliament on Wednesday, the legislator warned the situation the state faces today is not only alarming but also a direct indictment of collective national failure to adequately regulate an activity that continues to destroy land, endanger lives, and weaken the very foundation Ghana’s natural and human capital.
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Citing recent data, Hon. Konadu revealed that at least 17 Ghanaians have died between January and July 2025 due to galamsey-related accidents. He said the fatalities are not mere statistics but human lives — breadwinners, mothers, sons, and daughters — lost to the reckless pursuit of unregulated mineral wealth.
He recounted a series of harrowing incidents, including the collapse of a pit in Osino, Fanteakwa, which buried two miners alive in January, and the violent clash at AngloGold Ashanti’s Obuasi concession, which claimed eight lives.
Other incidents included pit collapses at Mpasatia in April, Akyem Wenchi in July, and the recent death of a 50-year-old woman who fell into an abandoned pit on July 29, 2025.
“Mr. Speaker, how many more lives must be lost before urgent and decisive action is taken?” he questioned.
The Manhyia North MP attributed the recurring tragedies to ineffective law enforcement, lack of political will, and, in some cases, complicity by state and traditional authorities.
He said many of the illegal mining sites that are shut down resume operations within months, reflecting what he called a vicious cycle of impunity.
“Galamsey is not simply an environmental issue; it is a national security threat. It fuels local conflicts, deepens poverty, and exposes our youth to preventable deaths,” he emphasized.
Hon. Konadu urged the government to leverage real-time digital surveillance, including drone technology and satellite imaging, to monitor high-risk mining zones and enable swift responses to illegal activity.
He noted that this could be anchored in the digitalization infrastructure championed by former Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, describing it as a visionary tool now indispensable for precision and transparency in governance.
“This digital infrastructure, once mocked and misunderstood, now presents a strategic tool to combat the galamsey menace with precision, transparency, and accountability,” he said.
He also called for the revitalization of community-based mining cooperatives under a strict regulatory framework that enforces safety and environmental standards, offering miners legal and safer alternatives to illegal operations.
Hon. Konadu appealed for bipartisan commitment to end the galamsey menace, stressing that each lost life represents a failure of policy and conscience.
“Mr. Speaker, every Ghanaian life matters. We cannot continue to treat the deaths from galamsey pits as collateral damage. These are not accidents — they are avoidable tragedies resulting from policy gaps and institutional inertia. Let us be bold. Let us act now. The cost of inaction is not just economic — it is human,” he stressed