The Minority in Parliament has disclosed that at least 17 Ghanaians have been killed between January and July 2025 as a result of illegal mining operations, commonly known as galamsey.
The Minority caucus attributed the fatalities to weak law enforcement and what it described as the government’s lack of political will to combat the galamsey menace, which continues to devastate communities and the environment.
Speaking on the floor of Parliament on Wednesday, November 5, 2025, Deputy Ranking Member on the Lands and Natural Resources Committee, Akwasi Konadu, urged authorities to take immediate and firm action to address the escalating dangers of galamsey.
“From January to July 2025, Ghana recorded at least 17 deaths linked directly to galamsey activities. These are not mere statistics; these are Ghanaian lives — breadwinners, mothers, sons, and daughters lost to the reckless pursuit of unregulated mineral wealth.” Konadu said.
He expressed disappointment that despite repeated warnings, the government has not introduced effective strategies to stop the recurring tragedies.
“Mr Speaker, how many lives must be lost before an urgent, decisive action is taken? The prevalence of death and environmental collapse is a direct consequence of ineffective law enforcement, the lack of political will, and, in some instances, the complicity of some state actors and traditional authorities,” he added.
The Minority further called on the government to step up enforcement, bring perpetrators to justice, and show genuine resolve to end the destructive practice threatening lives, water sources, and livelihoods nationwide.
