The Minority in Parliament has issued a scathing critique of the NDC government’s handling of illegal mining activities, warning that galamsey has now escalated into a full-blown national emergency. In a statement made available to the media, the Minority accused the government of hypocrisy, deception, and gross incompetence in addressing one of Ghana’s most pressing environmental and governance challenges.
According to the Minority, despite the NDC’s pre-election promises to end illegal mining, the situation has significantly worsened within just six months of their assumption of office. “Ghana is bleeding under the weight of a government that pledged decisive action but has instead deepened the crisis,” the statement read.
The group drew attention to the GHC 50 million allocated in the 2025 national budget to combat illegal mining — a fivefold increase from the GHC 10 million earmarked by the previous administration, yet insisted that there is little to show for it in terms of results.
Even more troubling, the Minority revealed that active illegal mining is taking place in President John Mahama’s hometown of Bole Bamboi, particularly in Tumtumba, where the Yonkamba stream — a tributary of the Black Volta — has reportedly been destroyed by galamsey operations. “If the President cannot protect the environment in his own backyard, what assurance is there for the rest of the country?” the Minority queried.
They alleged that the NDC, both in opposition and now in government, has used the galamsey issue as a political tool — first to criticise the previous administration, and now to shield its own operatives engaged in illegal activities. “The very people who mocked the NPP’s anti-galamsey measures are now at the forefront of illegal mining,” the Minority charged, adding that some government officials are manipulating local systems to protect offenders and sabotage enforcement.
The Minority also cited the Trades Union Congress (TUC), which on May Day publicly rebuked the government for its lacklustre efforts. According to the TUC, the NDC’s approach is endangering rivers, forests, and rural livelihoods. However, instead of engaging with the criticism, government officials reportedly responded with verbal attacks, dismissing the TUC’s concerns as partisan.
Joining the national outcry is the University Teachers Association of Ghana (UTAG), which the Minority applauded for issuing an ultimatum to the government. UTAG has threatened industrial action if immediate steps are not taken to honour the anti-galamsey pledge signed before the 2024 elections. The association’s demands include the repeal of LI 2462, prosecution of complicit officials, and a public declaration of a national emergency on illegal mining.
“The situation has reached crisis levels,” the Minority emphasized. “UTAG is right — this is no longer a political argument. It is a moral and environmental emergency that calls for urgent leadership and action.”
The Minority also decried the silence of many Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) and the media, whom they accused of retreating from public accountability. They warned that journalists are facing increasing pressure to censor reports on illegal mining, suggesting a return to what they called a “renewed culture of silence.”
One of the most alarming claims by the Minority is the alleged diversion of DRIP (Development and Road Improvement Project) equipment by some Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs) to aid illegal mining. The statement singled out the Suaman District, where the DCE is reportedly directly supervising the use of state equipment for galamsey activities.
“Even excavators seized during official operations are disappearing mysteriously,” the Minority said, describing the situation as a “web of collusion” within the government.
The Minority also questioned the credibility of the government’s flagship Goldbod initiative, aimed at formalising gold trading. They claimed the programme has become a front for laundering gold sourced from galamsey sites and accused close associates of the presidency of benefiting from the initiative.
“Goldbod has become Goldbomb,” the statement read. “This initiative, meant to curb illegal mining, is now legitimising and enriching it.”
The statement further cited investigations by journalist Erastus Asare Donkor, who has documented active galamsey sites in protected areas like Tano Anwia and the Jimira Forest Reserve. According to the Minority, Donkor’s work exposes state complicity and political interference in the very crisis the government claims to be fighting.
The Minority concluded with a challenge to the government: “If the TUC and UTAG are wrong, show the country the results. If they are right, then stop the denials, stop the blame games, and act. Ghanaians deserve clean water, protected forests, good health, and accountable leadership. If this government cannot provide that, then it has no business remaining in power.
Below is a statement from the Minority
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