ACCRA, Sept 30 (The African Portal) – Ghana’s Minister for Communication, Digital Technology and Innovations, Samuel Nartey George, has called for stronger measures to tackle illegal mining, known locally as galamsey, warning of its destructive impact on the country’s water bodies.
Speaking on Channel One TV’s The Point of View programme on Monday (September 29, 2025), Mr George said he was unhappy with the pace of the fight.
“Am I excited about where our country is with galamsey? Hell no, absolutely not. I think that a lot more has to be done,” he said.
The minister, however, acknowledged that there had been more visible efforts in recent months.
“Is work on the way? Certainly. We have seen more action in the last eight to nine months since Armah-Buah took office than we have seen in eight years,” he said.
Mr George praised the collaboration between the Energy Minister, Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, and former Defence Minister Dr Edward Omane Boamah, who jointly oversaw military operations against illegal miners.
“There’s considerable work. God bless his soul, my big brother, Omane Boamah, was doing a lot of joint military operations with Armah-Buah in that regard. We need to see decisive action to end galamsey. My views on galamsey have not changed,” he said.