Jailing One Person Won’t Stop Galamsey – Why Kwami Sefa Kayi’s Question Is Being Criticised

A question from popular morning show host Kwami Sefa Kayi about galamsey has sparked criticism online. The broadcaster reportedly asked why illegal mining, known as galamsey, has not stopped even after the jailing of Wontumi. But critics say the question is disappointing coming from an experienced journalist and morning show host like him.

The criticism centres on one key point: it is the courts, not the government, that decide who is guilty and what punishment they receive. Jailing one person cannot automatically bring an end to a national problem like galamsey. Comparing it to armed robbery, critics asked whether robbery stopped in Ghana after the jailing of notorious robber Ataa Ayi — the answer, they say, is clearly no.

Those pushing back argue that galamsey is a big, widespread problem that requires continuous enforcement and accountability, not a one-time solution. They say it is wrong to suggest that one conviction should end the fight, and that this kind of thinking mixes up the work of the judiciary with that of the executive.

The critics also pointed out what they see as a contradiction: the same people who display bottles of brown, polluted water on live radio to show how galamsey is destroying water bodies will turn around and ask such questions. For them, this shows a lack of seriousness in the national conversation about illegal mining.

The message from critics is that journalists should focus on whether the laws are being enforced against everyone involved, not on whether one jailing has ended galamsey. They say the fight is bigger than any one individual and that the country needs honest, consistent scrutiny rather than questions that miss the real issue.