We can’t win galamsey war in 9 months – Asiedu Nketiah

The National Chairman of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Johnson Asiedu Nketia, has defended President John Dramani Mahama’s administration against mounting criticism over what some have described as a slow and ineffective fight against illegal mining, popularly known as galamsey.

Speaking during a tour of the Volta Region on Tuesday, October 14, 2025, the veteran politician — popularly called General Mosquito — said it is unfair for critics to expect instant results from the government’s renewed measures to tackle the galamsey menace.

According to him, the process of restoring the polluted rivers and degraded forests will take time, even if illegal mining is immediately halted.

“If work has started on the control of galamsey, we don’t expect our rivers to be clean within a short time. Even if we stop the mining, it will take time for the water bodies to be clean and the forest to be reclaimed,” he said.

Asiedu Nketia, who has been touring the region to rally party members behind President Mahama’s government, said critics — including opposition figures and some Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) — were being unrealistic in their expectations.

“People have been blaming the government for our promise to control galamsey, but they must understand that some things have their own timelines of maturity,” he remarked, drawing an analogy: “No matter how hard you try, you cannot produce a child in less than nine months.”

Background to the Controversy

President Mahama’s government has been under pressure to deliver results in its anti-galamsey campaign, a pledge that formed a key part of the NDC’s 2024 election manifesto.

Mahama had pledged to end galamsey within two months of his election but nine months on he is still begging for time.

Despite launching multiple interventions, critics say the situation on the ground has not improved significantly, with many rivers still murky and farmlands destroyed across mining communities in the Western, Ashanti, and Eastern regions.

Earlier this month, the President invited over 50 Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), religious leaders, and professional bodies to a high-level stakeholder dialogue at the Jubilee House to brainstorm practical solutions to the crisis.

Among those invited were the Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference, IMANI Ghana, CDD-Ghana, the Christian Council, the Chief Imam’s Office, and the Media Coalition Against Illegal Mining.

The meeting, described by the Presidency as a “frank and constructive dialogue,” aimed to foster collaboration between government and stakeholders amid increasing calls for tougher measures to protect Ghana’s environment.

Mahama’s Balancing Act

President Mahama has maintained that his administration’s approach must balance environmental protection with livelihood concerns.

With an estimated four million Ghanaians directly or indirectly dependent on small-scale mining, he has resisted calls to declare a state of emergency in mining areas.

“I’ve never deluded myself that the fight against illegal gold mining would be a one-off event. The decay has eaten deep over the years, and it’s going to take sustained effort,” Mahama told journalists at a recent media engagement.

The government’s reforms through the Ghana Gold Board (GoldBod) are designed to formalize small-scale mining and gold trading.

However, Mahama’s proposal for GoldBod to purchase gold directly from artisanal miners — including those in informal operations — has stirred controversy, with critics warning that it could inadvertently legitimize galamsey activities.

Opposition and CSO Criticism

The opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) and several advocacy groups have accused the government of being indecisive and lenient toward illegal miners.

Former Tourism Minister Andrew Egyapa Mercer recently condemned the GoldBod proposal, arguing that “government endorsement of gold purchases from illegal miners would embolden offenders and undermine years of anti-galamsey efforts.”

Meanwhile, environmental activists and academics, including members of the University Teachers’ Association of Ghana (UTAG), have raised alarm over the long-term health risks posed by contaminated water sources, linking galamsey pollution to potential outbreaks of chronic diseases in mining communities.

NDC’s Call for Patience

But Asiedu Nketia insists that the government’s gradual and systematic approach is the only sustainable path forward.

“We must understand that restoration takes time. You can’t fix eight years of damage in just nine months,” he emphasized.

He urged Ghanaians — particularly those living in affected regions — to rally behind the President and resist the temptation to politicize the fight against illegal mining.

“Let’s commend the government for the work done so far. Cleaning our rivers and replanting our forests is a national duty, not a partisan one,” he added.

Asiedu Nketia’s comments come as he continues his four-day regional tour, where he is expected to meet with traditional leaders, local party executives, and youth groups to reinforce the NDC’s commitment to environmental recovery and sustainable mining reforms.