Kenneth Bansah writes: Don’t set Zanetor up to fail on galamsey

Mining consultant Dr Kenneth Bansah has cautioned against placing the full burden of Ghana’s galamsey crisis on newly appointed Environment, Science and Technology Minister Dr Zanetor Agyeman-Rawlings, arguing that illegal mining extends beyond the mandate of her ministry.

He says tackling the crisis requires an all-of-government and all-of-society approach, involving institutions responsible for employment, security, immigration, law enforcement, mining and border control.

Below is the full write up:

Do not set Dr. Agyeman-Rawlings up to fail on galamsey

Last week, Ghana’s Parliament vetted and approved the President’s nomination of Dr. Zanetor Agyeman-Rawlings as Minister for Environment, Science and Technology. The President has since sworn her into office.

As expected, galamsey came up during her vetting. Some members of the committee touted her brilliance and expressed hope that she could do something about galamsey. Similar expectations have come from the public.

Following her swearing-in, some commentaries have suggested that she should bring some of former President Jerry John Rawlings’ attributes to the fight against galamsey. One common statement has been that “she must bring her father’s no-nonsense attitude to fight galamsey.”

Galamsey is a critical national issue that needs all the attention. But I am sorry to disappoint anyone expecting the new Environment Minister to solve it. Fighting galamsey is far bigger than the mandate of the Ministry of Environment, Science and Technology.

Currently, the Environment Ministry comes in mainly because of the environmental impacts of galamsey. Galamsey destroys land and vegetation. It pollutes rivers and other water bodies. The ministry can regulate activities that cause these impacts and introduce measures to prevent or reduce the damage. But fighting galamsey itself goes much further.

Many young people are involved in galamsey because of limited jobs and livelihood opportunities. That involves employment and economic development.

Foreign nationals enter Ghana and become directly involved in galamsey. That involves immigration and national security.

Heavy machinery enters the country and finds its way to illegal mining sites. That involves our ports, borders, customs, equipment tracking, and enforcement.

Illegal miners are arrested and sometimes released without prosecution. Political interference and the involvement of some security personnel are also very common. These are governance, law enforcement, and security matters.

Sophisticated weapons are also found at some galamsey sites. Illegal armed guards now protect some of these sites and have turned them into no-go areas. They sometimes confront security forces and community members. That involves law enforcement and national security.

The Environment Ministry has no control over many of these areas. In relation to galamsey, its mandate mainly covers environmental regulation and the environmental consequences of the activity. It can also introduce measures to prevent or reduce the environmental damage. But enforcing some of those measures requires institutions outside the ministry.

Even the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources that has direct oversight of mining cannot tackle the whole galamsey problem. Employment, immigration, ports and borders, law enforcement, political interference, and security are outside its control. The Environment Ministry has even less authority over these areas.

I trust that Dr. Agyeman-Rawlings will deliver as Environment Minister. But we should tone down our expectations of what she can do about galamsey. Her competence is not in doubt. The problem is much bigger than the mandate of her ministry. We will be setting her up to fail if we expect her to solve it.

In fact, during her vetting, Dr. Agyeman-Rawlings called for an “all-of-government and all-of-society approach” to tackling galamsey. She is right. Galamsey is a national security issue. Tackling it requires the coordinated involvement of several ministries and state institutions. National Security should lead and coordinate the effort.

If we continue to treat galamsey as a problem that one ministry can tackle, we risk repeating the same mistakes. We will create the wrong expectations, place responsibility where it does not belong, and still fail to tackle the problem.

The Environment Ministry can address the environmental consequences of galamsey and take measures to prevent or reduce the damage. But fighting galamsey is far bigger than its mandate.

Kenneth Bansah, PhD, PE