Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin has warned that Ghana could lose its forest reserves, including Atewa Forest, if galamsey is not brought under control quickly.
He said the continued destruction of forests and water bodies in the search for gold is a serious threat to the country’s natural resources and water security.
Mr Afenyo-Markin said this on Tuesday, October 6, when the Minority Caucus met the Christian Council of Ghana to discuss issues of national concern.
He said warnings from organised labour and religious bodies about the scale of illegal mining should not be taken lightly.
“And on this score, we rely heavily on organised labour. Last year, Organised Labour on May Day through its Secretary General announced that galamsey activity has gotten out of hand. We know organised labour is a non-political institution. It does its own research,” he said.
“And for the Secretary General of Organised Labour to boldly, publicly state this, nobody should take it for granted. Other religious bodies have also come out with their report about galamsey activities,” he added.
The Minority Leader also criticised the structure of the Ghana Gold Board (GoldBod) arguing that it does not clearly separate legally mined gold from gold produced through illegal mining, and that encourages galamsey.
“We are saying that the way GoldBod has been structured, it is rather encouraging the illegal mining activities within our country.
“Currently, GoldBod does not have a regulation that draws a distinction between regularly mined gold and galamsey gold. So, it is like whatever the aggregators bring, we will buy. But are there some regulations to guide aggregators? So, now it is yen ko nko a, everybody is mining,” he said.
Mr Afenyo-Markin drew on his time as a former chairman of the Ghana Water Company Limited board to underline the damage to water resources.
“Galamsey has gotten out of hand. So, it is something that if care is not taken, our water and our land will lose them.
“Ghana Water, I once chaired that board. The report coming from Ghana Water is that not only is it becoming more expensive to treat the water, but the extent of contamination of our water bodies is such that some treatment plants cannot even function,” he stated.
He further warned that “If we are not careful, Atewa Forest will not be there for us again.”
The comments come amid continuing concern over illegal mining in Ghana’s forest reserves.
In September 2026, the Forestry Commission arrested 12 people suspected of illegal mining in the Atewa Range Forest Reserve. The reserve is a major watershed and a biodiversity hotspot.
The meeting with the Christian Council is part of the Minority’s engagement with key stakeholders on issues it considers critical to national development, including illegal mining and protection of the country’s natural resources.
