The Acting Chief Justice, Paul Baffoe-Bonnie, has urged national leadership to adopt bold and far-reaching measures to end illegal small-scale mining, popularly known as galamsey, describing it as a major threat to Ghana’s survival.
He said this at the opening of the 2025 Annual General Conference of the Ghana Bar Association (GBA) in Wa on Monday, September 15, 2025. His speech was delivered on his behalf by Justice Hafisata Amaleboba.
Justice Baffoe-Bonnie expressed concern that despite several legal reforms, including the repeal of the Small-Scale Gold Mining Law, PNDC Law 218 of 1989, and its replacement with the Minerals and Mining Act 703 of 2006, illegal mining activities have persisted and even worsened.
“How can we also forget about the national security challenges brought to us by the menace of galamsey, as the influx of illegal miners, often accompanied by foreigners, has been linked to an increase in criminal activities in affected communities,” he noted.
He further stated that the persistence of galamsey has brought “unspeakable death, pain, and disruption” to the country, with measures employed over the years proving inadequate.
“Indeed, in the years after, galamsey has become worse, as the measures we have employed over the years have been half-hearted and unable to solve this menace, which is a threat to the country’s survival,” the Acting Chief Justice observed.
Justice Baffoe-Bonnie also called for a review of the Environmental Protection (Mining in Forest Reserves) Regulation 2022 (LI 2462), which permits mining in forest reserves, stressing that its repeal would be a crucial step toward winning the fight against illegal mining.
“It is a good place to start if we sincerely want to win the war against galamsey. The time to act is now without any further delay,” he stressed.
