Fighting Illegal Mining (Galamsey) in Ghana: Is a State Of Emergency Enough? – West Africa Network for Peacebuilding (WANEP)

Fighting Illegal Mining (Galamsey) in Ghana: Is a State Of Emergency Enough? – West Africa Network for Peacebuilding (WANEP)

Introduction Illegal mining, also known as ‘‘Galamsey’’ in Ghana, is a human security issue that threatens the environment, and people’s livelihoods. It involves mining activities without a license, close to water bodies, diversion of tailings into water, and the use of dangerous chemicals like mercury and cyanide. The phenomenon is pervasive across the country, causing deaths, destruction of vegetation, farmlands, and polluting water bodies. De…