“We Cannot Eat Gold” – Zanetor On Galamsey Issues

According to a report by TV3 Ghana on its Facebook page, the Minister of Environment, Dr. Zanetor Agyeman-Rawlings, has stressed that gold can never replace the value of a healthy environment, as Ghana’s fight against illegal mining, popularly known as “galamsey”, continues.

Speaking at the Climate Talks 2026 in Accra, a forum organised by TV3 in partnership with the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany, the Minister made a passionate appeal for the country to rethink its relationship with its natural resources.

“We cannot eat gold,” she declared. “There are countries that are not exploiting all their resources because they understand the value of their environment.”

Her remarks come at a time when concerns over the destruction of water bodies, forests and farmlands by illegal mining activities continue to dominate national conversation. Rivers that once served as sources of drinking water for millions of Ghanaians have become heavily polluted, raising fears about public health, food security and the future of generations to come.

Dr. Agyeman-Rawlings noted that some countries deliberately choose to preserve their natural resources, not because they lack the capacity to extract them, but because they recognise that environmental protection is critical to long-term national development. In her view, the short-term gains from mining cannot justify the long-term damage inflicted on the land, water and air that sustain life.

The Minister’s message underscores a growing call for a balanced approach to development, one that prioritises sustainability over quick profits. Environmental experts have long argued that the cost of restoring degraded lands and polluted water bodies far outweighs the revenue generated from unregulated extraction.

As Ghana grapples with the impact of galamsey, the Minister’s statement serves as a timely reminder that true wealth lies not only in what is beneath the soil, but in the health of the environment above it. Protecting it, she suggests, is a collective responsibility that demands commitment from government, industry and citizens alike.

The Climate Talks 2026 forum continues to bring together policymakers, experts and stakeholders to discuss pressing climate and environmental issues affecting Ghana and the wider region.

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