A bipartisan group of 23 MPs from the Ashanti Region has issued a joint statement demanding urgent government action to combat illegal small-scale mining — known locally as galamsey — which is destroying farmlands, polluting water bodies, and threatening livelihoods across the region.
The statement, signed by MPs from both the NPP and NDC, calls on the government to deploy additional military and police personnel to galamsey hotspots, prosecute mining company executives who facilitate illegal operations, and establish a dedicated environmental crimes court.
"This is not a partisan issue. This is about the survival of our land, our water, and our future. We speak with one voice," said the lead signatory, Ejisu MP Dr. Owusu Afriyie Akoto.
The Pra, Offin, and Oda rivers — which flow through the Ashanti Region — have been severely polluted by mercury and other chemicals used in illegal mining. Several communities have reported that their water sources are no longer safe for drinking or farming.
The Environmental Protection Agency has confirmed that over 60% of water bodies in the Ashanti Region show elevated levels of heavy metal contamination. The agency has called for a comprehensive remediation programme estimated to cost GH₵2 billion over five years.
The government has responded by announcing the deployment of an additional 500 soldiers to the region as part of Operation Halt II, the military-led anti-galamsey campaign. The Interior Minister said the government was committed to ending illegal mining but acknowledged that the problem required a long-term structural solution.
Civil society organisations have praised the MPs' bipartisan stance, calling it a model for how Ghana's politicians should approach national challenges that transcend party lines.
