President Mahama admits some NDC members are involved in galamsey, vows to intensify the fight

President John Dramani Mahama has acknowledged that some members of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) are involved in illegal mining, as he reaffirmed government’s commitment to intensifying the fight against the menace.

Speaking during a meeting with Organised Labour at the Jubilee House on Tuesday, March 17, the President described galamsey as deeply entrenched in Ghanaian society, cutting across political and traditional leadership.

“Illegal mining has eaten into the fabric of our society. And I must say that it is not only a menace to our society, but it has involved a circle of traditional rulers, political party appointees and everything,” he said.

He noted that operators often shift political allegiance to maintain control of mining sites.

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“Even when one party changes, those who were running some operation, who went to one party, will go to the next party and say, now that you have come, come and take over this operation and let’s share. We too will be getting small… And so I don’t kid myself that we don’t have our own people involved,” he stated.

President Mahama admitted that enforcement efforts continue to face resistance at the community level, complicating the work of anti-galamsey task forces.

“The work of NAIMOS is not easy. They go to a community and the chiefs, the youth and everybody come out and resist them. And so I didn’t kid myself that we will be able to win that fight overnight. But we cannot relent, we must continue,” he noted.

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He further linked the rise in illegal mining to challenges within the cocoa sector, explaining that low producer prices have pushed some farmers to abandon cocoa farming for gold mining.

The President expressed optimism that ongoing reforms, including a new pricing mechanism to ensure farmers receive up to 70% of global cocoa prices, will help curb the trend.

“We are hoping that it will stabilise with the new automatic mechanism we are coming with so that farmers know that they are getting 70% of the price,” he said.

He also highlighted logistical challenges affecting the anti-galamsey campaign, particularly the lack of patrol boats to monitor rivers over extended periods.

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“One of the problems we have is we don’t have patrol boats, especially on our waterways for nine months to continue to patrol the waterways,” he explained, adding that government is working with the Finance Ministry to address the gap.

Despite the challenges, President Mahama reaffirmed that the fight against illegal mining remains a priority, stressing that sustained efforts will be required to protect Ghana’s natural resources.