Joy News’ Erastus Donkor Sounds Alarm as Ghana Faces Deepening Galamsey Crisis
Investigative journalist and environmental advocate Erastus Asare Donkor has issued one of the sternest warnings yet about Ghana’s escalating illegal mining crisis, describing galamsey as “one of the greatest moral and environmental catastrophes of our time.”
He delivered the caution during the 20th Annual ‘Kronti ne Akwamu’ Public Lecture held on Thursday evening at the Ghana Academy of Arts and Sciences Auditorium.
The lecture, organised by the Centre for Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana), was chaired by renowned surgeon and former Environment Minister Professor Kwabena Frimpong-Boateng.
Held under the theme “A Country in Search of Solutions in Plain Sight,” the event drew ministers of state, members of parliament, diplomats, traditional leaders, civil society, and the media.
CDD Warns: Galamsey Now a National Crisis
Welcoming participants, CDD-Ghana’s Executive Director, Prof. H. Kwasi Prempeh, described illegal mining as a “millstone around the nation’s neck” and a crisis that has persisted despite countless interventions, including Operation Vanguard, Operation Halt and the newly introduced NAIMOS.
He said the choice of topic and speaker was deliberate, noting that Donkor had become the “one-man galamsey fighter,” consistently exposing the damage and policy loopholes that have allowed the crisis to deepen.
“We seem to know the cost of the problem—our forests, our water bodies, our public health—but what remains elusive is the solution,” Prof. Prempeh stressed.
Australia Pledges Support for Ghana’s Anti-Galamsey Efforts
Australian High Commissioner Ms. Berenice Owen-Jones, delivering solidarity remarks, said her government recognises illegal mining as “a national security threat” and stands ready to support Ghana’s governance and environmental protection reforms.
She highlighted Australia’s extensive mining expertise and ongoing partnership with Ghana, including the Mining for Peace project and extractive sector scholarship programmes.
“This crisis requires multifaceted solutions and strong partnerships,” she said, urging participants to ask the “hard questions” that can drive policy change.
Erastus Donkor Presents Damning Evidence of Forest Loss, Water Pollution and Cyanide Abuse
In a gripping, data-heavy address, Donkor traced the scale, history and human cost of illegal mining—revealing a catastrophic decline in Ghana’s forest cover from 6.5 million hectares in 1900 to just over 1 million hectares in 2024.
He warned that some forest reserves, including Apamprama, Tano Nimri, Upper Wassaw, Offin Shelterbelt and Cape Three Points, have been ravaged by illegal mining, with several classified as RED zones — active, violent, and difficult for state agencies to access.
He further revealed the rise of cyanide leaching, locally called “Sankofa”, being used illegally across Ahafo communities such as Ntotroso, Kenyasi, Hwidiem and Nkaseim — a practice prohibited by law and fatal to water bodies, soils, livestock and human health.
“This is a monumental crime,” Donkor stressed, questioning why MPs and district authorities have allowed such operations to continue unchecked.
Rivers “Flowing Like Wounds”: Water and Air Contamination Alarming
Erastus also presented scientific evidence showing Ghana’s major rivers — including the Pra, Offin, Ankobra, Birim, Densu and Tano — have become heavily contaminated with arsenic, cadmium, chromium and lead, often recording levels more than 200% above WHO standards.
He cited studies showing dangerous airborne mercury concentrations in mining communities and linked rising birth defects in galamsey-prone areas to toxic exposure.
“Our rivers no longer sustain life. They carry our failure,” he said.
Political Interference, Weak Enforcement Undermining the Fight
Mr. Donkor was emphatic that Ghana’s problem is not lack of knowledge or legislation but political interference and a culture of impunity.
Out of 1,190 illegal miners arrested between 2023 and October 2025, only 35 have been prosecuted, he revealed.
He cited incidents of district chief executives issuing unauthorised licenses, extorting illegal miners, or obstructing security operations, while some local security actors themselves enable or protect illegal activities.
“This fight is being betrayed from within,” he charged.
“Hold MMDCEs Accountable” — Donkor Calls for Structural Overhaul
The journalist called for strong political will and structural reforms, including:
- Holding MMDCEs accountable for galamsey in their districts
- Tracking all excavators nationwide
- Declaring water bodies and biodiversity hotspots as no-go security zones
- Strengthening NAIMOS with logistics and independent oversight
- Empowering the Forestry Commission as a semi-paramilitary environmental force
- Simplifying and sanitising the mining licensing regime
- Providing alternative livelihood programmes for miners and youth
- Scaling up media education and national civic awareness through the NCCE
He emphasised that sustainable change requires “moral courage, not just strategy.”
Media and Civil Society Praised as Bulwarks Against Impunity
Mr. Donkor commended the Media Coalition Against Illegal Mining, civil society organisations, and investigative journalists for “reclaiming civic space” and exposing the complicity of state actors.
He called on journalists to remain objective but not neutral in the face of national destruction.
“The media must take a stand. This is a fight for our future,” he said.
“History Will Judge Us” — A Closing Call to Action
Concluding his 90-minute lecture, Mr. Erastus Asare Donkor said galamsey is ultimately a test of leadership, governance and national conscience.
“If we fail this test, our rivers will carry the memory of our silence. But if we rise — as citizens, policymakers, chiefs and journalists — we can still turn the tide.”