Ghana Coalition Against Galamsey Warns Against Normalizing Unlicensed Mining

The Ghana Coalition Against Galamsey has issued a strong warning that treating mining without licences as acceptable would undermine the country’s licensing system, which is designed to distinguish legal small-scale mining from galamsey. The coalition argues that if unlicensed mining becomes normalized, the regulatory framework that separates legitimate operators from illegal miners will collapse.

According to the coalition, the licensing regime plays a critical role in ensuring that small-scale mining activities are conducted legally and responsibly. By allowing mining without licences to become commonplace, the government would effectively erode the very system meant to curb illegal mining and promote accountability in the sector.

The coalition’s concern centers on the idea that normalizing unlicensed operations would blur the line between lawful small-scale miners and those engaged in galamsey, making enforcement and regulation increasingly difficult. It warns that such a shift would weaken efforts to combat the environmental and social harms associated with illegal mining.

The group is calling on authorities to uphold and strengthen the licensing framework rather than dilute it. It emphasizes that protecting the integrity of the licensing regime is essential to sustaining the distinction between legal and illegal mining, and to safeguarding the broader fight against galamsey in Ghana.