Kumasi, March 13, – David Anetey Akrong, Commandant of the Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre, has said illegal mining, widely known as galamsey, has developed into a complex political and economic system in many communities.
According to him, the issue can no longer be viewed solely as environmental degradation or breaches of licensing regulations, as it increasingly determines control over land and labour, distribution of resources, and authority within local communities.
Air Vice Marshal Akrong observed that in some districts, persistent illegal mining activities had contributed to the emergence of informal power structures, which sometimes operate alongside or even compete with formal state institutions.
He made the remarks at the Ashanti Regional Validation and Dialogue Workshops on the Safety and Security Ecosystem of Illegal Mining in Ghana.
He noted that these developments could undermine public confidence in regulatory systems, enforcement mechanisms, and public administration, thereby complicating the work of institutions responsible for maintaining order and regulating the mining sector.
“The complexity of the challenges we face in the Ashanti Region cannot be addressed through isolated interventions,” he said.
He stressed that addressing the issue required sustained collaboration among state institutions, local communities, traditional authorities, and development partners, guided by a shared commitment to safety, accountability, and inclusive development.
The workshop, organised by the Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre in partnership with the Embassy of Spain in Accra, brought together security agencies, traditional leaders, environmental and mining regulators, as well as health and gender experts.
The discussions focused on legal reforms, institutional cooperation, allocation of resources, and long-term planning for the mining sector.
Air Vice Marshal Akrong said many communities were struggling to balance immediate economic survival with the long-term environmental and social well-being of their lands and water bodies.
He added that traditional leaders, assembly members, and other community actors often found themselves mediating between competing expectations, which sometimes blurred accountability, strained institutional coordination, and weakened public trust in governance structures.
Another issue highlighted during engagements in parts of the Ashanti Region was the growing connection between illegal mining activities and the circulation of improvised or illegal weapons in remote areas.
He warned that the situation posed increasing risks to local residents and frontline security personnel, while also linking local mining challenges to broader networks of organised crime and illicit financial flows that extend beyond national borders.
Meanwhile, Isabel Ibarra Serrano de Haro said illegal mining had evolved into a high-risk, high-impact ecosystem affecting not only the environment but also community safety, stability, and social cohesion.
She noted that the involvement of foreign actors had introduced transnational criminal networks, illicit capital flows, and hazardous chemicals, further complicating governance efforts and posing threats to national security.
GHBUSS
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