Galamsey in Ghana: How the Complex Mining Licensing System Fuels Illegal Mining – Insights from Erastus Asare Donkor

Introduction

Galamsey, Ghana’s pervasive issue of illegal small-scale gold mining, continues to devastate rivers, forests, and communities. In a compelling keynote address at the Kronti ne Akwamu Lecture on November 27, 2025, investigative journalist Erastus Asare Donkor exposed the mining licensing regime in Ghana as a “fancy maze” that inadvertently promotes illegality. Titled “Galamsey: A Country’s Search for a Solution in Plain Sight,” the event highlighted how bureaucratic hurdles in Ghana’s mining licensing process discourage legitimate operators while allowing illegal galamsey activities to flourish. This article breaks down Donkor’s critique of the small-scale mining licensing system, explores sustainable solutions to illegal mining in Ghana, and offers practical guidance for reform.

What is Galamsey and Why Does It Matter?

Galamsey refers to unregulated artisanal gold mining in Ghana, often using rudimentary methods that cause severe environmental damage, including river pollution with mercury and deforestation. According to Ghana’s Minerals Commission, licensed small-scale mining should promote economic growth, but the current system’s flaws exacerbate illegal operations, affecting water bodies and food security nationwide.

Analysis

Erastus Asare Donkor’s analysis of Ghana’s mining licensing regime reveals deep structural flaws. The process, managed by the Minerals Commission under the Minerals and Mining Act, 2006 (Act 703), involves multiple stages: application submission, environmental impact assessments, community consultations, and fee payments. However, Donkor argues this framework is overly complex, riddled with corruption, and plagued by delays spanning years.

Bureaucratic Barriers in Small-Scale Mining Licensing

Prospective miners face endless paperwork, renewal fees, and bribe demands, frustrating honest Ghanaians aiming for responsible practices. Donkor notes cases where applicants spend years legitimizing concessions, only for galamsey operators to invade and degrade them. This inefficiency pushes ethical miners toward illegal shortcuts, perpetuating a cycle of environmental harm from illegal gold mining in Ghana.

Corruption and Enforcement Gaps

The system’s opacity enables rent-seeking, where officials demand payments for approvals. Enforcement against galamsey remains reactive, focusing on raids rather than prevention. Donkor emphasizes that without streamlining, the licensing maze will continue fueling illegal mining, undermining Ghana’s goal of formalizing 35% of small-scale production by 2025, as per government targets.

Summary

In his address, Erastus Asare Donkor urged Ghana’s government and regulators to overhaul the cumbersome mining licensing system, which he likened to a “complex maze” encouraging galamsey. Key recommendations include simplifying procedures, providing alternative livelihoods, enforcing red zones near water bodies, and prioritizing river reclamation. True victory against illegal mining in Ghana requires healing environmental wounds, not just halting operations.

Key Points

Practical Advice

Donkor’s speech provides actionable steps for combating galamsey through mining license reform and community support. Governments and stakeholders can implement these to transition from illegal to sustainable small-scale mining in Ghana.

Streamlining the Licensing Process

Adopt a digital platform for applications, reducing processing time from years to months. Mandate transparency via public dashboards tracking license statuses, minimizing bribery in Ghana’s mining sector.

Alternative Livelihood Programs

Invest in vocational training for mining communities, focusing on agribusiness, aquaculture, and eco-tourism. Ghana’s Alternative Livelihood Programme, expanded since 2020, demonstrates success; scale it with partnerships from NGOs like the World Bank.

Environmental Restoration Initiatives

Prioritize desilting rivers like the Pra and Ankobra, polluted by galamsey. Community-led reclamation, funded by a mining levy, can restore over 10,000 hectares, as per Environmental Protection Agency data.

Points of Caution

Donkor warns against simplistic solutions. Enforcement raids alone displace poverty without addressing root causes, merely shifting galamsey to new sites. Poverty cannot justify destroying water resources vital for 60% of Ghana’s agriculture. Cultivating a galamsey mindset among youth risks long-term economic dependency on depleting gold reserves, estimated at 30 years by geological surveys.

Risks of Incomplete Reforms

Without viable alternatives, bans exacerbate unemployment in mining-dependent regions like Ashanti and Western. Finite minerals demand diversification, preventing a future resource curse.

Comparison

Comparing Ghana’s mining licensing system to successful models highlights reform potential.

Current Ghana System vs. Simplified Alternatives

Tanzania’s reforms reduced illegal mining by 40% via efficient licensing, offering a blueprint for Ghana.

Legal Implications

Ghana’s legal framework for small-scale mining is governed by the Minerals and Mining (General) Regulations, 2012 (LI 2173), requiring licenses from the Minerals Commission. Operating without one constitutes illegal mining under Section 99 of Act 703, punishable by fines up to GH¢250,000 or 15 years imprisonment. Donkor’s call for reform aligns with the 2019 Small-Scale Mining Law amendments promoting formalization. However, enforcement gaps, as noted in parliamentary reports, weaken compliance. Red zones are legally defined in the Water Resources Commission Act, prohibiting mining within 50m of rivers. Reforms must ensure constitutional rights to livelihoods (Article 36) while protecting environmental rights (Article 24).

Conclusion

Erastus Asare Donkor’s keynote at the Kronti ne Akwamu Lecture underscores that Ghana’s mining licensing maze sustains galamsey, demanding urgent, humane reforms. By simplifying processes, offering alternatives, enforcing protections, and healing ecosystems, Ghana can curb illegal mining sustainably. As Donkor aptly stated, “We cannot just stop the bleeding; we must start the healing.” Policymakers must act to secure a greener future for mining communities.

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