Galamsey is biggest emerging threat to national security – KAIPTC
Participants at a Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre (KAIPTC) workshop have identified illegal mining (galamsey) as the leading emerging threat to both human safety and Ghana’s national security.
Supported by the Embassy of Spain, stakeholders from various Ghanaian institutions described illegal mining as a complex crisis connected to organized crime and security issues such as terrorism, human trafficking, drug abuse, and violent extremism.
KAIPTC Senior Researcher Ernest Ansah Lartey stated that a recent two-week study confirms illegal mining now jeopardizes community well-being and national health.
“It is evolving into a safety and security ecosystem,” he explained, noting the sector’s increased organization and mechanization involving networks of financiers, equipment providers, and players within political and economic systems.
During the symposium, Western Regional Minister Joseph Nelson emphasized that addressing illegal mining requires alternative solutions rather than just basic livelihood skills.
“How can you convince someone earning 1500 cedis daily to stop this trade easily? There need to be genuine social interventions and sustainable strategies. I also believe land forfeiture should be implemented, especially for chiefs who oversee galamsey in their communities, alongside other strict punishments,” he remarked.
Furthermore, the minister noted that illegal mining has affected 11 out of 14 districts in the Western Region and plans to collaborate with NAIMOS to set up three monitoring bases in Ellembelle, Amenfi East, and Ahanta West.
