“Galamsey Has Become a National Poison” – Sophia Akuffo Fumes

Former Chief Justice Sophia Akuffo has called on the government to impose a temporary ban on all forms of mining in Ghana, warning that the nation’s water bodies and environment are being destroyed beyond recovery by illegal mining, popularly known as galamsey.

Speaking in an interview on Wednesday, November 5, Justice Akuffo lamented that the galamsey menace has persisted for years due to political interference and public complacency.

“Galamsey didn’t become intractable in 2025; it became intractable long ago. And we have been playing games around it, dancing around it, and now it has become a political issue,” she said. “It has grown so many thieves that it is killing and poisoning everybody.”

She urged Ghanaians, especially those in mining-affected communities, to take a firm stand against the destruction of rivers, farmlands, and crops caused by irresponsible exploitation of natural resources.

“It’s about time Ghanaians woke up and stopped being childish. We cannot continue to pollute our waters and our lands. A gift from God, we have used it to poison ourselves — that is wrong,” she stressed. “I believe there should be a moratorium on every form of mining, whether legal or illegal, small-scale or galamsey, until we sort ourselves out. This quest to mine our resources has gone out of hand. Let’s call for a pause.”

Her remarks come after a violent attack on the National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS) at Hwidiem in the Ahafo Region on Saturday, November 1, 2025. The NAIMOS team, after arresting illegal miners near Bronikrom, was attacked by a mob, allegedly led by the Member of Parliament for Asutifi North, Ebenezer Kwaku Addo.

Justice Akuffo’s appeal adds to growing public pressure on the government to take decisive, nonpartisan action against illegal mining, which continues to threaten Ghana’s water security, farmlands, and ecosystem.