Schandorf Challenges Barker-Vormawor’s Call That Galamsey Fight Is Lost
Spokesperson Paa Kwesi Schandorf argues the anti‑galamsey campaign is still progressing despite challenges.
Paa Kwesi Schandorf, spokesperson for the Lands Ministry, has written to Oliver Barker‑Vormawor to reject the claim that Ghana’s fight against galamsey is lost. He stresses that the problem of illegal mining has deep historical roots and cannot be solved overnight.
According to Schandorf, the government recognises that river pollution and degraded landscapes are the result of years of unchecked activity, so expecting an instant turnaround is unrealistic. Instead, he points to concrete steps taken to curb the use of harmful equipment.
Between 2017 and 2024, thousands of excavators entered the country without proper oversight. Today, the sector minister, Hon. Emmanuel Armah‑Kofi Buah, requires prior approval for importing new machines and has fitted registered excavators with electronic tracking devices. As a result, more than 1,400 excavators now sit idle at the ports because owners cannot justify their entry.
The government has also targeted changfan machines, which are among the most destructive tools used in illegal mining. Authorities report that by July of this year they had seized or immobilised 1,724 changfan units during anti‑galamsey operations. These actions, Schandorf argues, demonstrate that enforcement is ongoing rather than abandoned.
Schandorf reminds readers that progress is measured not by the number of meetings or policies announced, but by observable improvements in river quality, forest health, and the living conditions of mining communities. He acknowledges that rivers remain polluted and that some illegal miners continue to act with impunity, but he insists that the fight is still being pursued with vigour.
He cites the continued deployment of policy reviews, enforcement operations and technical interventions as evidence that the campaign is far from a defeat. The spokesperson notes that a truly lost fight would be one in which those tasked with enforcement gave up, which is not the case today.
To illustrate his point, Schandorf invites Barker‑Vormawor and other critics to visit the Lands Ministry and see the work firsthand, rather than rely on government presentations. He underscores that the anti‑galamsey effort is a marathon, not a sprint, and will succeed only with sustained political will, especially under President John Dramani Mahama’s leadership.
In closing, Schandorf thanks Barker‑Vormawor for his advocacy and encourages him to keep pressing for accountability while recognising the ongoing struggle to protect Ghana’s environment.
