Brigadier General Zibrim Bawah Ayorrogo, deputy commandant of the Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre, called for a coordinated national strategy to combat illegal mining, warning the activity has grown into a multifaceted threat to governance and human security in Ghana.
Speaking Tuesday at a national validation workshop in Accra, Brig. Gen. Ayorrogo said efforts to curb illegal mining—often referred to locally as “galamsey”—have been undermined by fragmented institutional mandates and weak coordination among state agencies. The event brought together policymakers, security officials and community representatives to review findings from regional consultations and shape a unified response.
“What has emerged clearly is that illegal mining can no longer be addressed through isolated enforcement actions,” he said, describing the issue as one that now intersects with environmental damage, youth unemployment, public trust and state authority.
The workshop follows consultations in the Ashanti and Western regions, where stakeholders including traditional leaders, local governments and civil society groups highlighted the day-to-day impact of illegal mining. Those discussions, Ayorrogo said, revealed not only economic dependence on informal mining but also growing security risks, including reports of improvised weapons circulating in some mining areas.
He warned that such conditions allow criminal networks to adapt and expand, particularly in remote regions where oversight is limited.
Central to the government’s response is the National Integrated Mechanism for Addressing Illegal Mining, or NIAMOS, which Brigadier General Ayorrogo described as critical to aligning legal, regulatory and security frameworks. He urged stronger collaboration among ministries, regulators and development partners to translate policy into measurable outcomes.
The initiative has received financial and technical backing from Spain’s embassy in Accra, supporting its progression from local consultations to national policy planning.
Organizers said the forum aims to produce both a policy brief and a practical roadmap, including defined leadership roles, coordination mechanisms and timelines for implementation.
“Our aim is to ensure that communities in mining-affected areas experience tangible improvements in safety, accountability and opportunity,” Brigadier General Ayorrogo said.
Source:TheDotNews