Senyo Hosi Criticizes Ghana's Lost Opportunity to Halt Galamsey

Ghana missed a decisive chance to end illegal small-scale mining when President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo was in his first term according to Senyo Hosi. The One Ghana Movement convenor spoke firmly on Channel One Television during an interview with Bernard Avle on Wednesday September 30. Mr Hosi stated that Ghana lost the boat required to stop galamsey effectively during the initial phase of Akufo-Addo's administration.

The initial government crackdown on galamsey had significantly disrupted the sector, Mr Hosi noted. However political calculations particularly around the 2020 election year caused a strategic retreat from the earlier firm stance. He argued this retreat fundamentally altered the trajectory of the fight against illegal mining. The cancellation of the presidential and sectoral task forces marked this shift away from the promised momentum.

Mr Hosi emphasized the economic entanglement that developed after the slowdown in enforcement. Many communities across Ghana now rely on illegal mining for survival amid widespread youth unemployment and underemployment. This deep economic dependence makes governments hesitant to return to the stronger enforcement approaches he believes are necessary. The livelihood vulnerability created by the sector's informal status has proved politically difficult to address.

This perspective offers a clear critique of how policy decisions during a pivotal period shaped Ghana's current struggle with galamsey. The historical moment described highlights the tension between political expediency and long-term environmental and economic governance. It underscores how initial commitments can be reshaped by electoral concerns within a presidential term.