Vincent Kusi Kyei, National Treasurer of the Ghana Institute of Foresters (GIF), has warned that Ghana can no longer afford half-hearted measures in the fight against galamsey.
Speaking passionately on Adom FM’s Dwaso Nsem, he said the country’s lenient approach has emboldened illegal miners and weakened efforts to protect water bodies and forest reserves.
He questioned why heavy machinery is allowed into the country before authorities attempt to trace its intended use. “Why should we allow the excavators to get to Ghana before we track them?” he asked, stressing that the current system makes illegal mining easier rather than harder.
Mr. Kyei argued that if excavators are truly imported for legitimate purposes, their presence should be in sectors that desperately need them. “Roads are bad in Ghana, so why won’t the excavators be working on the road?” he added.
He maintained that the most effective deterrent against illegal mining is the destruction of the machines driving it.
“We must burn the excavators; it is business for the people,” he said, explaining that illegal mining thrives on profitability, and destroying excavators directly undermines that incentive.
For added value, he suggested transforming the remains into raw materials for local use. “We should burn the excavators and use the metal for iron rods or whatever,” he said.
Mr. Kyei also criticized the authorities for allowing machinery to be imported without strict verification, only beginning tracking after deployment to illegal sites. “We can’t ask the purpose of the importation but will allow it into the country before tracking,” he lamented.
He revealed that even within security services, there is recognition that stronger action is necessary. “The last time, some soldiers said it is about time we allow them to exert their powers, and I think it is true. That is where we are now. We are always giving excuses,” he said.
Highlighting a troubling inconsistency in national priorities, he pointed out: “In Parliament, if MPs want something like ex gratia or salary increments, they will work on it and get it in less than a week. So why is it that this issue threatening our existence cannot be dealt with decisively?”
Mr. Kyei warned that without bold measures, including reinstating the burning of excavators, Ghana risks losing its rivers, forests, and future.