Renowned Pan-African scholar and anti-corruption advocate, Prof. P.L.O. Lumumba, has attributed Ghana’s persistent galamsey crisis to deep-rooted governance failures and weak institutional enforcement.
Speaking during a public lecture on natural resource management, Prof. Lumumba stressed that the destruction of Ghana’s rivers, forests, and farmlands is not simply the result of illegal miners but a reflection of leadership gaps and a lack of political will at multiple levels of government.
According to him, galamsey has flourished because those responsible for protecting national resources have failed to act decisively, allowing political interference, corruption, and inconsistent law enforcement to undermine anti-galamsey efforts.
“Illegal mining does not endure where systems are strong,” he argued, noting that the crisis persists because “governance structures are either compromised, weakened, or selectively applied.”
Prof. Lumumba further warned that the long-term consequences of environmental degradation would be catastrophic if leaders do not adopt firm, transparent, and uncompromised measures to safeguard the country’s natural assets.
His remarks add to the growing national conversation on the urgent need for bold reforms, credible enforcement, and genuine political commitment to halt the environmental damage threatening Ghana’s future.
