Edited by Beatrice Asamani Savage
Africa-Press – Ghana. On August 6, 2025, a helicopter crash claimed the lives of eight people, including high-level officials travelling to address Ghana’s illegal mining menace, known as galamsey.
The nation mourns their loss. Yet, even in the midst of grief, a troubling call has emerged – “Shoot Galamseyers on Sight.”
The reasoning is blunt: these miners are “terrorising” the environment and, indirectly, made such missions necessary, leading to the tragedy. But the critical question remains – will killing desperate young Ghanaians solve the problem, or merely hide it for a time?
Weak Logic of ‘Shoot to Kill’Leaders are elected to protect citizens, not to sanction policies that turn guns on them. While galamsey undeniably destroys the environment, pollutes rivers and damages farmlands, the miners involved are not inherently criminal. They are largely products of national policy decisions.
“In my medical work, I once showed a community a magnified image of a mosquito while discussing malaria prevention,” this writer recalls. “A participant calmly noted that the magnified mosquitoes they see on screen are nowhere near the size of those in their community and, therefore, not a concern.”
Understanding depends on one’s perspective. For many galamseyers, this is the only livelihood they have ever known.
A Policy and People ProblemAt its core, Galamsey is about the absence of opportunity. Poor population policies over decades have created a demographic imbalance – More than 11 million Ghanaians – aged between 15 and 35, many unemployed, underemployed or lacking employable skills, seeking survival at any cost.
In areas with few alternative livelihoods, the lure of mining is powerful. Even chiefs, custodians of the land, may be tempted by the lucrative offers from operators. Despite successive government crackdowns, the cycle persists.
Killing miners may bring temporary relief or political advantage, but it treats symptoms, not the underlying disease – much like trying to cure severe malaria with only a blood transfusion.
Targeting the Real DriversA lasting solution must address root causes:
Data-driven population policy: Tackle high teen pregnancy rates, unmet needs for family planning and unintended pregnancies. A United Nations report in 2024 warns that early childbearing harms young mothers and their children, some of whom may end up in Galamsey pits.
Integrated development: Link population, economic, social and environmental planning to create holistic opportunities.
Strengthen local governance: Empower chiefs and communities to regulate seasonal mining and protect water bodies as a civic duty.
Honouring the memory of those who perished should mean tackling the conditions that push young people into the pits, not turning weapons on them. Addressing poor population policies will make it easier to improve employment, education, environmental management, infrastructure and security.
If these issues remain unresolved, no amount of bullets will reclaim Ghana’s rivers or restore its forests – only more bloodshed in and out of the pits.
“Let our grief be a turning point, from reaction to reason, from punishment to prevention,” this writer urges. Ghana’s future and sustainable development depend on it.
The August 6 tragedy and all such should push Ghana to fix its poor population policy and create dignified and sustainable livelihoods, not kill desperate youth.
Source: Ghana News Agency
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