Kumasi: The Local Governance Network (LOGNet) has called for a collaborative governance framework between government institutions and traditional authorities to effectively address illegal mining, also known as galamsey.
According to Ghana News Agency, in a policy memo and press release issued by the organisation and copied to the agency in Kumasi, LOGNet said overlapping responsibilities and conflicting interests between the state and traditional rulers had undermined national efforts to curb the menace, which continued to cause environmental destruction, water pollution, and revenue losses.
The release signed by Mr. Christopher Dapaah, National Coordinator of LOGNet, stated that while the government regulated mineral resources under the Constitution and the Minerals and Mining Amendment Act, chiefs exercise customary control over land, often leasing it informally to miners. This duality, the organisation observed, had created land tenure conflicts, weakened enforcement, and eroded community trust.
The Network also identified tensions over revenue sharing, accountability, and political interference, with both state and traditional actors accused of shielding illegal operators for personal or political gain. To bridge these gaps, LOGNet recommended the establishment of district-level mining oversight committees comprising government officials, traditional authorities, and civil society.
It further proposed legal reforms to formalise the role of chiefs in land allocation and monitoring, the disclosure of mining leases, and audit mechanisms for traditional leaders involved in mining-related decisions. The organisation also urged increased civic education on the environmental and legal implications of galamsey, the promotion of alternative livelihoods, and the enforcement of political neutrality in mining oversight.
LOGNet emphasised that resolving the conflicting roles of government and traditional authorities was critical to ending the galamsey crisis and ensuring sustainable management of Ghana's natural resources.
