Report By: Ishmael Barfi
Ghana’s Deputy Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Hon. Yusif Alhassan, has stressed the urgent need to tackle the destruction of the country’s natural resources, particularly due to illegal mining, commonly known as galamsey.
The Deputy Minister made this appeal during the official opening of the three-day National Landscape Forum, held in Accra from April 2 to April 4, 2025.
The forum aims to bring together representatives from various stakeholders, including the Ministry of Science and Environment, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Forestry Commission, and various civil society organizations.
Representing Sector Minister, Hon. Alhassan highlighted the devastating impacts of galamsey, which include the destruction of forests, pollution of water bodies, and loss of biodiversity.
Stakeholders during the official launch
He emphasized that galamsey poses a serious threat to Ghana’s pursuit of sustainable growth and requires urgent and direct action.
In response to the issue, the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources has implemented a five-point strategy.
This includes reforms in licensing for small-scale miners, enhanced enforcement in small-scale mining operations, increased stakeholder engagement, the provision of alternative livelihood sources, and the restoration of degraded lands and forests.
Madam Naila Ahmed, the World Bank’s Program Lead in Ghana, pointed out that 35% to 40% of jobs in Ghana are linked to agriculture.
However, the destruction of natural resources makes it increasingly difficult to sustain these jobs.
Group Photograph of the leadership of various stakeholders at the Forum
She emphasized that effective management of natural resources is critical for fostering inclusive economic growth and reducing poverty in Ghana.
Statistics reveal that 49.4% of the Apamprama Forest Reserve has been destroyed due to galamsey activities.
Furthermore, 64 different types of natural resource conflicts have been identified across 45 communities and 19 districts in the Upper West Region. In Northern Ghana, 28.1% of these conflicts are related to gold mining, while 23.4% are farmer-herder conflicts.
The National Landscape Forum is organized by the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources and the Ministry of Environment, Science and Technology, in collaboration with the World Bank.
Source: www.thenewindependentonline.com
