The Minister of Education, Haruna Iddrisu, has appealed to the judiciary to apply firm punitive measures, including custodial sentences, against public officials and politicians who are found guilty of participating in illegal mining activities.
According to him, the fight against galamsey cannot be won by the Executive arm of government alone and requires the active collaboration of the courts to serve as a deterrent to offenders, urging judges to act decisively where evidence clearly establishes wrongdoing.
“We need to elevate and up our game. The Executive and the President alone cannot succeed in fighting galamsey. We need the judiciary to stand side by side in solidarity.
“Should the court find any good evidence on any public official or any politician involved in it, my Lords don’t hesitate to exercise the gavel and punish adequately so that it becomes deterrent for the rest of our society,” he said.
The Minister made the remarks at the Annual Chief Justice Mentoring Programme held at the forecourt of the Supreme Court in Accra. The event was organised under the theme, “Advocating Greener Sustainable Justice: The Environment and Justice.”
The programme brought together students from 11 schools across the Greater Accra and Western Regions, members of the Orange Girls groups from Accra and Kumasi, as well as participants from the United Nations Youth Association.
Addressing the students, the Education Minister stressed the importance of environmental stewardship, warning that the impact of illegal mining was already evident. He emphasised that safeguarding the environment was no longer optional.
“Galamsey is destroying water bodies, even the quality of our cocoa has been compromised. Preserve the environment. As we educate the next generation, we must help them understand that protecting the environment is not optional, it is a moral and civic duty and increasingly a legal one,” he said, adding that Ghana could not afford to lose the battle against illegal mining.
Haruna Iddrisu also praised the Chief Justice, Paul Baffoe-Bonnie, and previous heads of the judiciary for strengthening the mentoring initiative, noting that it had played a key role in making the judicial system more accessible to young people.
He encouraged students to remain disciplined in their academic pursuits and uphold values of patriotism and integrity, stating that engagement with legal professionals helped nurture confidence and interest in public service.
Chair of the Mentoring Committee, Professor Justice Olivia Anku-Tsede, underscored the need for national reflection on the intersection between justice and environmental protection, particularly in light of the growing threat posed by illegal mining.
She described galamsey as “a threat to our national heritage, our public health, laws and the very future of our communities,” noting that rivers had become polluted, forests depleted, and farmlands destroyed.
“If this generation allows these practices to continue, then the next generation would inherit barren lands, polluted waters and weakened institutions,” she warned.