The Ghana Chamber of Mines has forged a strategic partnership with the nation’s judiciary to enhance enforcement against illegal mining operations.
This collaboration includes specialized training for judges in the Western, Western North, and Central regions, along with ongoing performance monitoring of mining-related cases.
At a June 18 judicial engagement, Chamber CEO Dr. Kenneth Ashigbey described illegal mining as “ecocide,” detailing its devastating environmental and public health consequences. “Our water bodies are poisoned, farmlands destroyed, and we’re seeing increased cases of kidney disease and birth defects in mining communities,” he stated. Supreme Court Justice Tanko Amadu emphasized the need for continuous judicial education to keep pace with evolving mining legislation.
The initiative comes as Ghana intensifies efforts to combat galamsey, which has persisted despite previous government interventions. The partnership aims to standardize sentencing while maintaining due process, with appellate safeguards to correct judicial errors. Environmental experts note this judicial reinforcement could prove decisive in preserving Ghana’s natural resources for future generations.
