Professor Agyemang slams political parties over illegal mining mismanagement

Professor (Dr. Dr. Dr.) Joseph Kwasi Agyemang, an accounting scholar at the University of South Africa and the University of Eswatini, has criticized Ghana’s major political parties for mishandling the fight against illegal mining, popularly known as “galamsey.”

He accused both the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and the New Patriotic Party (NPP) of politicizing a national crisis at the expense of the country’s future.

According to Professor Agyemang, both the NDC and NPP need to remember that Ghana is much larger than their political games. He emphasised that the battle against galamsey should be a collective responsibility shared by all Ghanaians, regardless of their political affiliations. However, he noted that both parties seem to have turned this critical issue into a political tool, attempting to gain votes from the misinformed.

“They need to understand that gaining power is about governing Ghana, not merely advancing the interests of a political party. Sadly, both the NDC and NPP have mishandled the fight against illegal mining. At this point, the NDC’s approach to tackling galamsey is nothing short of a bad joke compared to the efforts made by the previous NPP government”, he said.

The professor also pointed to the political campaigns of 2020 and 2024, where NDC leaders visited galamsey sites and made promises to illegal miners. These promises included the release of those imprisoned for illegal mining if the NDC came to power, allowing them to return to their illegal activities.

“How can a party like that genuinely claim to be fighting against illegal mining?” he asked, adding that the rise in illegal mining in Ghana seems to be a direct consequence of the NDC’s campaign promises.

He further questioned why the government needed to create a taskforce to tackle illegal mining when the country has a military capable of addressing such issues. “The government’s creation of a taskforce to fight illegal mining is a farce. The government must empower the Ghana Armed Forces and the Ghana Police Service to act without political interference to address this crime,” he insisted. He argued that illegal mining is a serious offense, and those caught in the act should be dealt with severely, both individually and collectively. He likened the failure to combat illegal mining to the military and other security forces failing to protect the nation.

When asked about any specific policies or initiatives introduced by the current NDC government to curb illegal mining, Professor Agyemang stated that he has not seen any substantial measures that could make a real difference. “The battle against illegal mining is not just about setting up a taskforce without proper military training. It’s really about giving the military and police the support they need to effectively address this issue,” he said.

On the role of accounting and financial management in addressing the financial incentives driving illegal mining, Professor Agyemang stressed that these factors play a significant role in fueling illegal activities. He explained that weak enforcement of regulations, tax evasion and shady financial practices often contribute to the growth of illegal mining.

“For instance, when the share of mining royalties sent back to mining municipalities is reduced, or when lower withholding tax rates on interest payments are offered, it can encourage illegal mining,” he noted. “Increasing the share of mining royalties allocated to traditional leaders and local government authorities could create job opportunities for the youth and help curb illegal mining in Ghana.”

He also pointed out that illegal mining leads to a significant loss of tax revenue for the government. The mining sector in Ghana struggles with high levels of tax evasion due to these illegal activities, and often, Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) overlook mining activities in their areas because they have little incentive to enforce tax collection.

As a result, Professor Agyemang suggested that illegal miners might resort to bribing local officials to operate without consequences. “MMDAs often ignore these activities because they have little motivation to address tax evasion and enforce the rules,” he said.