Galamsey Syndicate Exposed: PleasureNews Petitions President Mahama Over ‘State-Sponsored’ Illegal Mining
A groundbreaking undercover investigation has unveiled a shocking system of institutionalized corruption within Ghana’s fight against illegal mining, locally known as galamsey. The documentary, titled ‘A Tax for Galamsey’, produced by PleasureNews, provides irrefutable evidence of a state-sponsored syndicate where local government officials systematically tax, receipt, and protect unlawful mining operations. In response, PleasureNews has formally petitioned President John Dramani Mahama, demanding urgent and transformative intervention to dismantle this entrenched network and restore integrity to environmental enforcement.
Introduction: The Scandal That Shook Ghana’s Anti-Galamsey Campaign
The protracted battle against illegal mining in Ghana has long been a focal point of national concern, threatening water bodies, forest reserves, and agricultural livelihoods. However, a new dimension of crisis has emerged from the Amansie Central District. The ‘A Tax for Galamsey’ exposé by PleasureNews, broadcast in early 2026, transitions the issue from one of uncontrolled lawlessness to one of calculated, institutionalized corruption. The investigation alleges that the very institutions mandated to stop galamsey—the District Assembly, a dedicated task force, and the District Chief Executive (DCE)—have become its architects and beneficiaries, converting environmental destruction into a structured revenue stream. This article dissects the exposé’s findings, analyzes the profound implications for governance and the environment, and outlines the urgent actions demanded from the highest office of the land.
Key Points of the ‘A Tax for Galamsey’ Exposé
The 30-minute documentary presents a meticulously documented case of a parallel taxation system. The core revelations, as summarized in PleasureNews’ petition to President Mahama, include:
- Systematic Extortion Scheme: Unlawful miners are compelled to pay fixed “registration fees” and “levies” to operate, with payments formalized through official receipts and stickers.
- Direct Official Authorization: Undercover footage captures the District Chief Executive confirming the authorization of these collections.
- Multi-Agency Involvement: The scheme allegedly involves the District Assembly, its task force, and officers from the National Disaster Management Organization (NADMO), who are filmed demanding separate payments to “prevent enforcement actions.”
- Financial Trail: Funds from the illegal “tax” are tracked into accounts linked to the Assembly, suggesting a budgetary integration of illicit proceeds.
- Scale of Operations: The “tax” structure is tiered, with specific charges for different types of mining equipment, indicating a sophisticated, bureaucratized operation.
These points collectively paint a picture not of rogue individuals, but of an institutionalized galamsey syndicate operating with impunity under the guise of official authority.
Background: The Galamsey Menace and Institutional Failure
Understanding Galamsey in Ghana
Galamsey is a portmanteau of “gather them and sell,” referring to the widespread practice of small-scale, often illegal, gold mining in Ghana. While some artisanal mining is licensed, the vast majority of galamsey operations occur without permits, in protected forest reserves, and near water sources. The environmental devastation is severe: deforestation, siltation of rivers like the Pra and Ankobra, and mercury pollution affecting ecosystems and public health. Economically, while it provides informal livelihoods, it undermines state revenue from legitimate mining and damages agriculture, Ghana’s other economic backbone.
The Official Stance and Previous Efforts
Successive Ghanaian governments have launched militarized operations like “Operation Vanguard” to combat galamsey. The political rhetoric is consistently strong, framing illegal mining as a national security and environmental emergency. However, the persistent nature of the problem has fueled public skepticism about the genuine commitment of some local enforcement actors. The ‘A Tax for Galamsey’ exposé provides a potential explanation for this policy-implementation gap: active sabotage and co-option by officials within the system itself.
Analysis: Deconstructing the ‘State-Sponsored’ Syndicate
The term “state-sponsored galamsey” is a grave accusation. The exposé’s evidence suggests a model where state power is not failing to curb illegal mining but is actively being commodified to manage and profit from it.
The Mechanics of the ‘Tax’ System
The investigation details a clear pricing structure:
- Changfang Machines: Approximately ₵3,000 per machine.
- Excavators: Significantly higher levies for heavy earth-moving equipment.
The use of “official branding“—stickers and receipts—is critical. It transforms extortion into a semblance of legality, creating a paper trail that implicates the Assembly’s accounting systems. This bureaucratization is what elevates the scheme from simple bribery to an institutionalized parallel revenue stream.
The Chain of Command and Complicity
The alleged involvement of the District Chief Executive (DCE) is the most explosive element. As the highest political and administrative authority in the district, the DCE’s purported authorization points to senior-level endorsement or willful negligence. The inclusion of NADMO (National Disaster Management Organization) officers is also telling. Their role is disaster response, not mining regulation. Their presence demanding payments to “prevent enforcement” suggests a deliberate strategy to co-opt any and all state presence in the district into the protection racket, ensuring no agency remains a credible threat.
Legal and Constitutional Implications
If verified, these actions constitute multiple serious breaches of Ghanaian law:
- Corruption and Abuse of Office: Under the Criminal Offences Act and the 1992 Constitution, using public office for private gain is a criminal offense.
- Environmental Violations: The Environmental Protection Agency Act and Minerals Commission Act impose duties to prevent mining pollution. Facilitating illegal mining makes officials complicit in these violations.
- Economic Sabotage: Diverting state revenue and undermining the formal mining sector could be interpreted as acts detrimental to the national economy.
- Breach of Public Trust: The fiduciary duty of public officers to manage resources for the public good is fundamentally violated.
The syndicate model also suggests potential charges of conspiracy and organized crime.
Practical Advice: What Can Be Done? Pathways to Accountability
The petition outlines demands for the presidency, but lasting change requires multi-stakeholder pressure.
For Civil Society and the Media
- Sustained investigative journalism: Replicate this model in other galamsey hotspots. Document the “tax” systems, identify the accounts, and name the officials.
- Public education campaigns: Demystify the legal and environmental costs of “regulated” galamsey. Show communities that the temporary cash from the syndicate is a poison pill destroying their long-term future.
- Strategic litigation: Support affected communities (e.g., farmers whose lands are destroyed, communities with polluted water) to sue the District Assembly and implicated officers for damages and injunction.
For Government and Regulatory Bodies
- Immediate, independent forensic audit: As petitioned, the Auditor-General must immediately audit the Amansie Central District Assembly’s finances, specifically tracing mining-related revenues.
- Whistleblower protection: Establish a secure, anonymous channel for Assembly and NADMO staff to report coercion into the syndicate without fear of reprisal.
- Rotate enforcement personnel: Regularly rotate district-level security and environmental task forces to prevent the development of entrenched local collusion networks.
- Transparent revenue reporting: Mandate all district assemblies to publicly report, in detail, all revenues from mining-related activities, including fines, fees, and “sticker” sales.
For Citizens and Communities
- Document and report: Use smartphones to record instances of officials collecting money from galamsey operators. Note vehicle license plates, officer names, and dates.
- Organize collectively: Affected communities have more power. Form coalitions to formally petition the District Assembly, the Minerals Commission, and the President, demanding the removal of named officials.
- Reject the “development” narrative: Challenge the false argument that galamsey money brings local development. Calculate and publicize the long-term cost of environmental remediation versus the short-term illicit gains.
FAQ: Addressing Common Questions on the Galamsey Syndicate
Q1: Is this just about bribery, or is it truly “state-sponsored”?
A: The exposé argues it is more than bribery. “State-sponsored” implies the state’s authority, resources, and institutional apparatus are being used to facilitate and profit from the crime. The use of official receipts, Assembly-linked bank accounts, and the alleged direction by the DCE suggests the district’s governing machinery itself has been weaponized to run the syndicate, making the state a de facto partner in galamsey.
Q2: Why would officials risk such a scheme? Isn’t it easier to just take bribes?
A: A formalized “tax” system provides predictability, scalability, and a paper trail for accounting. It allows for budget planning based on illicit revenue and integrates the illegal income into the formal financial system of the Assembly. It also creates a hierarchy of beneficiaries, from task force members to senior officials, ensuring the complicity of multiple layers of authority, which makes the racket more resilient to individual whistleblowing.
Q3: Could this be an isolated case in one district?
A: While the exposé focuses on Amansie Central, the model is likely replicable. The combination of high-value illegal activity (gold), weak local oversight, and poverty creates a fertile ground for such syndicates. The petition itself calls for “oversight reform to stop the abuse of public authority in anti-galamsey operations nationwide,” implying the problem is systemic.
Q4: What happens to the illegal miners who pay this “tax”?
A: They receive a form of “protection” and a permit to operate illegally. This creates a two-tier system: those who pay are left alone by state actors, while those who don’t face arrest and destruction of equipment. This effectively legalizes a segment of galamsey through corrupt licensing, utterly undermining the rule of law and creating unfair competition.
Q5: What specific laws are the officials breaking?
Based on the allegations, potential violations include:
- Section 23 & 179 of the Criminal Offences Act, 1960 (Act 29): Corruption and abuse of public office.
- Environmental Protection Agency Act, 1994 (Act 490): Failing to prevent pollution.
- Minerals Commission Act, 1993 (Act 450): Facilitating unlicensed mining.
- Public Financial Management Act, 2016 (Act 921): Misappropriation of public funds and improper banking of revenues.
- Constitution of Ghana, 1992: Breach of the oath of office and violation of the Directive Principles of State Policy (Chapter 6).
Conclusion: A Test of Presidential Will and National Integrity
The ‘A Tax for Galamsey’ exposé transcends a local corruption scandal. It strikes at the heart of Ghana’s sovereignty, environmental security, and constitutional democracy. It reveals a hydra-headed monster where the protectors of the law have become its primary profiteers. President Mahama’s response, as formally requested by PleasureNews, will be a definitive measure of his administration’s commitment to rooting out systemic corruption. The four-point ultimatum—an independent investigation, immediate interdiction of implicated officers, a public audit, and nationwide oversight reform—is a bare minimum. Anything less will signal that the syndicate’s tentacles are too entrenched to challenge, effectively surrendering vast tracts of Ghana’s land and future to a state-sponsored galamsey syndicate. The world is watching. The people of Ghana, especially those in the affected regions, are waiting. The time for decisive, transparent, and uncompromising action is now.
Sources and References
- PleasureNews. (2026, February). ‘A Tax for Galamsey’ Documentary [Video]. YouTube. (Embedded source in original article).
- PleasureNews. (2026, February 9). Petition to His Excellency the President of the Republic of Ghana on the ‘A Tax for Galamsey’ Exposé. (Original petition document referenced).
- Constitution of the Republic of Ghana, 1992.
- Criminal Offences Act, 1960 (Act 29).
- Environmental Protection Agency Act, 1994 (Act 490).
- Minerals Commission Act, 1993 (Act 450).
- Public Financial Management Act, 2016 (Act 921).
- Ghana Minerals Commission. (Various). Guidelines on Small-Scale Mining.
- Historical context on Ghana’s galamsey crisis from Ghanaian news archives (e.g., Graphic Online, Citi Newsroom, JoyNews).
Disclaimer: This article is based on the allegations and evidence presented in the PleasureNews documentary ‘A Tax for Galamsey’ and the subsequent petition to the President. The individuals and institutions named are presumed innocent until proven guilty through a competent legal process. This analysis aims
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