Although the issue of galamsey is familiar to Ghanaians, it has recently gained widespread attention and become a matter of great national concern. This is primarily due to the severity of the pollution level and the associated health crisis it has triggered. While most of the public discourse on galamsey has focussed on the political dimensions, advocacy and awareness campaigns with environmentalists leading the charge have given less attention to its socio-economic and developmental angles. Critical questions remain unanswered from these perspectives, such as: 

• What is happening to the lands in the communities where galamsey is prevalent? 
• What happens to the young (wo)men in the pits when galamsey is aborted? 
• What alternative sources of livelihood are available to community members dependent on the galamsey economy? 
• Are there any sociological effects of galamsey that need to be addressed?
• How can academia and technocrats contribute to innovative solutions?

The inclusion of the academic community would greatly benefit the discourse and this “fight against galamsey”. In this vein, the Community of Practicing Researchers at Academic City has adopted a three-pronged approach to contribute to the effort and help rein in the menace. This approach employs systems thinking techniques to dissect the phenomenon, identify key stakeholders, and recommend evidence-based, innovation-driven interventions.

THE PHENOMENON CALLED GALAMSEY

The term galamsey originated from the Ghanaian saying ‘gather them and sell, in reference to small-scale mining, which is not illegal. Over the years, however, it has come to represent illegal surface mining that disregards environmental concerns and involves unsafe practices. Galamsey, thus, does not refer to small-scale mining but to illegal surface mining, which has emerged as individuals seek alternative sources of livelihood. In communities where Galamsey is prevalent, traditional occupations such as farming, hunting, fishing, driving, dressmaking, and crafts such as basket weaving and processing natural resources, among others, have become increasingly less lucrative. This has pushed many individuals, particularly the youth, into illegal mining because it promises relatively better income. It is sometimes described as a “quick path to becoming rich”.

Galamsey is a complex and interconnected phenomenon which requires a systematic approach to uncover its root causes and wide-ranging impacts. Addressing it without a comprehensive and structured strategy risks unintended outcomes with dire consequences for stakeholders and the country. It thus requires an objective and systematic scholarly probe to uncover its root causes and map out the entire system to arrive at workable interventions and relevant policy recommendations. This complex phenomenon encompasses a range of disciplines, including history, science and technology, anthropology and sociology, economics, and environmental science, among others. Single-sided solutions, such as deploying soldiers to mining sites to arrest miners, burning excavators and other machinery, or political parties pointing accusing fingers at each other, as a means to combat the problem will not address a menace as complex as Galamsey. 

WHAT IS GALAMSEY?

Some small-scale and surface miners have permits and concessions that allow them to operate, while others do not. Those without concessions can easily be classified as illegal miners and described as “galamseyers”. However, the critical nuance of interest in this conversation is not just in the legality of their operations but also in the processes used in the mining activity. This account thus proposes the definition of galamsey to focus on the mining process and the methods miners adopt. In this case, whether a miner possesses a concession or not, the prominent bone of contention will be how sustainable the mining methods are. 

Galamsey can thus be described as mining or attempting to mine in an area without proper concessions or using unsustainable mining methods, regardless of whether the miner holds a license. 

UNPACKING THIS COMPLEX PHENOMENON

The systems thinking approach was deemed the most appropriate approach to unpacking galamsey because of its complexity and some of the unintended consequences of non-systemic interventions and policy reforms. Systems thinking allows for considering the interconnectedness of the various actors and nodes in the systems, defines interdependencies and preempts the potential unintended consequence and desired outcomes to propose actionable recommendations. Given the prolonged efforts to address the challenges posed by galamsey, this approach could be the fresh perspective needed to achieve our desired national outcomes.

The Community of Practicing Researchers at Academic City suggests analysing galamsey at four levels to allow for a holistic understanding of the problem: 

1. Meta Level: This level focuses on the broader principles and frameworks that govern Galamsey, ranging from political, environmental, socio-cultural, technological, economic and legal issues. It involves thinking about the problem at an abstract and high level, often referred to as "arguments about arguments" or "thinking about thinking," providing a foundation for addressing the complexities of galamsey.
2. Macro Level: the level at which the focus shifts to national and global interactions, such as resource transfers, economic implications, and political influences. Macro-level analyses will explore large-scale dynamics, including the role of the country and other transnational partners, in shaping outcomes. Issues realised at this level include our food exports being rejected by some countries due to the high level of contamination and recent reports of contaminations entering rivers such as the Volta River and the Densu, as well as the Atlantic Ocean.
3. Meso Level: This level examines trends and patterns at the community level. It leverages different types of research and uses this aggregated data to understand how community members and the citizenry are impacted by galamsey and impact galamsey. For example, the youth of Akyem Asuom in the Eastern Region, one of the communities most affected by the galamsey, recently rose in protest and demanded accountability. This shows how a community is concerned, with youth working in the galamsey ecosystems now realising the harm and risks and rising to speak against it. Understanding the nuance of the uprising from a socio-economic and cultural perspective is an example of a meso-level analysis of the phenomenon.
4. Micro Level: The local level of analysis focuses on individuals or small groups in their immediate social settings, doing what they must to support the fight against galamsey. This includes young people who post about the issue on social media, individuals who stop by rivers to record content and share to continue creating awareness, and persons who contribute directly and indirectly to the struggle to restore our rivers and support the socio-economic and environmental restoration.

For a phenomenon as complex as galamsey, analysis is required within and across these levels to foster a deeper understanding. For instance, at the micro level, the miners, often hired labourers, face prosecution while influential individuals orchestrating these galamsey operations remain largely unaccountable. At the macro level, complacency among political authorities, compounded by the involvement of some officials benefiting from galamsey, complicates efforts to combat the menace. These two issues are connected, and analysing them will require considering both the micro and macro levels.

By addressing galamsey across these levels, researchers can better identify its root causes, systemic drivers, and unintended consequences. This layered approach provides a comprehensive framework for developing effective, multi-dimensional interventions.

THE CONVERSATION THIS FAR

In the brainstorming segment of the conversation, the Community of Practicing Researchers identified several causes contributing to the persistence and rise of galamsey. These causes, which in themselves will need to be unpacked to appreciate how they contribute to the phenomenon, included poverty, unemployment, lack of education, under-education, miseducation, corruption, and the struggles of government agencies tasked with environmental protection to carry out their mandates effectively.  

A controversial yet interesting suggestion that generated a lot of discourse regarding interventions stakeholders can explore was to legalise galamsey and focus on regulating and controlling the space. The school of thought in favour of legalisation stressed how it would provide a framework for operations by establishing clear parameters and a well-defined scope for mining activities, thereby creating a more transparent and accountable system. Also, legalising galamsey will aid in promoting revenue for the government, as miners would be required to pay tax. Additionally, legalising galamsey will enable miners to be trained on how to extract gold per established mining standards, which will teach them how to mine in environmentally friendly ways and create awareness of the effects of the chemicals on the environment and the miners, consequently ending illegal and harmful mining. 

Subsequently, the community highlighted some key strategies that must be implemented alongside the legalisation of galamsey to regulate and control the practice effectively, should that be the preferred option. 

• Enforcing the rule of law is crucial. Progress will be attainable with a functioning judicial system that can enforce existing laws. 
• Strong leadership is essential to drive initiatives and implement policies.
• A national asset register linked to the Ghana card will enable the tracing of illegal mining equipment to its owners. It will also aid in finding the masterminds and beneficiaries behind some of these illegal activities.

The conversation concluded with indigenous cultural re-education as a vital tool to reshape perceptions and attitudes about the sacredness of nature, including our river bodies and lands, and the relevance of maintaining them. The Community stressed how cultural practices that are currently looked upon as superstitious and archaic were our indigenous ways of sustaining the environment. The notion of Indigenous societies being sustainable due to practices that resulted in them revering nature has been frowned upon due to modernisation. The need to reintroduce them into our educational systems and ensure that the fabric of our society understands and appreciates these practices and ways of living was emphasised.

OUR NEXT STEPS

Following this initial attempt at unpacking the galamsey phenomenon, the research community identified critical areas for further investigation to understand its complexities better. One potential area is engaging with miners in prison, policymakers, and community members from affected areas to gather diverse perspectives on galamsey. Additionally, studying the supply chain and logistics involved in galamsey operations could shed light on the networks sustaining this practice and help inform interventions. Studies can also be undertaken concerning the recovery and sustainability practices of galamsey. Finally, carrying out case studies of other countries that have historically faced this and perhaps some other cancers, learning from how they overcame these, can offer lessons and best practices for effectively addressing the issue for Ghana.

To further these efforts, the Community of Practicing Researchers at Academic City is set to organise a seminar titled “Unpacking Galamsey: Uncovering “Treasures” in Responsible Mining," scheduled for Wednesday, 27th November 2024, on its campus at Haatso. The outcome of this seminar will also be shared. Watch this space.

*****

This article was written by Dr Hepzie Tagoe, Head of Department, Biomedical Engineering; Dr Sena Agbodjah, Vice President, Academic Affairs and Ms Susanna Otoo, Faculty Assistant, Communication Arts Department