By Patrick Ofoe Nudzi
Accra, Jan. 25, GNA – A group of researchers of the University of Ghana has launched an anti-galamsey project to gather studies on illegal mining and use the findings to educate Ghanaians on the need for collaboration in addressing the menace.
It identifies advocacy and community mobilisation as the most needed ‘tools’ to solve the illegal mining menace, otherwise known as galamsey.
The Project, titled: “Sharing Galamsey Research Findings and Doing Advocacy to Stop Galamsey in Ghana,” will be implemented by the University of Ghana (UG) within two years, using the various Ghanaian languages as conduits.
It also seeks to promote policy and regulatory reforms, present community-led policy options to the government and development partners for consideration and possible implementation.
Prof Gladys Nyarko Ansah of the Department of English and Principal Investigator, said the project was to complement existing efforts and regimes to fight the illegal mining menace and not to supplant Ghana’s laws.
“We shall be doing community mobilisation to generate community-led debate and discussions to propose more effective ways to end galamsey and promote alternative livelihoods to identify sustainable and viable alternatives to galamsey that the youth in Ghana can pursue,” she said.
Prof Nyarko Ansah said solving the menace demanded efforts from all sections of the population through community engagement, mobilisation, advocacy and collaboration.
“Fighting the illegal miners is not the most prudent decision as he who fights and runs away, lives to fight another day,” she noted.

Prof Frimpong Boateng, a former Minister of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation, who launched the project, lauded the group for the initiative to use communication-based approach to shape society’s perception, understanding and actions on galamsey.
He said very few people abided by the regulations within the smalls-scale mining regime, making Ghana’s present and prospects murkier and opaque because not only were the lands being destroyed and foods poisoned but the River Volta was polluted with heavy metals and poisonous chemicals.
“Don’t trust politicians when it comes to this business because when they are under pressure from the grassroots, they will change their policies without informing those leading the campaign against illegal mining,” he said.
“So be on the watch on policies, behaviour and what they say.”
Prof Frimpong Boateng, a former Chairman of the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Illegal Mining, assured the researchers of his support with videos, pictures and other materials they may need to facilitate their work.
GNA