3 Million Ghanaians Engaged in Illegal Mining – CED’s Samuel Osei Bekoe Reveals
Samuel Osei Bekoe, the Executive Director of the Centre for Extractives and Development (CED), has revealed that over three million people are currently engaged in illegal mining, commonly known as galamsey, across Ghana. This alarming figure far exceeds previous estimates, highlighting the growing scale and complexity of the crisis.
Speaking on Tuesday, February 25, 2025, Bekoe described the situation as more severe than anticipated, emphasizing how widespread illegal mining activities have become.
“Over three million people are actively working in illegal mining, going into the forests or galamsey areas every day,” Bekoe stated, drawing attention to the massive workforce involved in the illegal practice.
One of the key challenges in combating illegal mining, according to Bekoe, is the financial incentive it provides. Many young people find it difficult to leave galamsey because alternative livelihood programs do not offer similar earnings.
“If these alternative livelihoods don’t provide the same income as illegal mining, it will be hard to convince the youth to stop,” he explained.
Bekoe also expressed doubts about the effectiveness of the government’s current alternative livelihood initiatives, which aim to redirect those involved in illegal mining toward legal and sustainable jobs.
“Personally, I don’t think these programmes will work as we hope,” he remarked. “They may have some success, but it could be as low as 10 to 15%. We might not reach the level of success needed to fully redirect the youth away from illegal mining.”
Bekoe concluded by calling for more effective and holistic solutions to address the galamsey crisis, warning that the current measures may fall short.
“With so many people involved in galamsey, it’s unlikely these alternatives will work as well as we hope. We must find more comprehensive measures to tackle this issue,” he urged.
The revelation from the CED Executive Director comes at a time when illegal mining continues to threaten Ghana’s environment, particularly water bodies and forest reserves. Despite government efforts to curb galamsey, the economic allure and lack of viable employment alternatives continue to fuel its persistence.
Experts and stakeholders, including Bekoe, suggest that strengthening enforcement, improving alternative livelihoods, and addressing the root causes of youth unemployment are crucial to winning the fight against illegal mining.
As the nation grapples with this widespread crisis, many are calling for urgent, innovative, and long-term policies to protect the environment while ensuring sustainable economic opportunities for those involved in galamsey.