Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Gold Board (GoldBod), Sammy Gyamfi, has accused the former government of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo of failing to effectively tackle illegal mining, popularly known as galamsey.

According to Mr Gyamfi, the previous administration focused its actions on people who spoke against illegal mining rather than confronting those responsible for the destruction of the country’s environment.

He made the comments during an interview on UTV Ghana on Friday, October 30, 2026, while discussing the former government’s record in the fight against galamsey.

“In 2024, there was no fight against illegal mining in Ghana under President Akufo-Addo. The fight was rather against those fighting illegal mining. Some were arrested and put into prison cells,” he said.

Gyamfi Criticises Previous Government’s Approach

Mr Gyamfi argued that individuals and groups who campaigned against illegal mining should have received support from the government instead of facing arrests and other actions.

He maintained that the previous administration failed to demonstrate the level of commitment needed to address the activities of illegal miners.

His comments add to the ongoing political debate over the management of illegal mining under the Akufo-Addo administration and the effectiveness of measures introduced to protect Ghana’s natural resources.

Compares Akufo-Addo and Mahama Administrations

The GoldBod CEO also compared the previous administration’s approach with that of President John Dramani Mahama.

He argued that the current government had demonstrated a stronger commitment to tackling illegal mining and protecting the country’s water bodies and forest reserves.

However, his assessment represents his position on the issue, as the performance of successive governments in the fight against galamsey remains a subject of public and political debate.

Illegal mining continues to raise serious environmental concerns in Ghana, particularly because of its impact on rivers, forest reserves and communities that depend on these natural resources.

Mr Gyamfi’s remarks have renewed attention on the responsibilities of successive governments, law enforcement agencies and other stakeholders in addressing the menace.

The broader challenge remains how to enforce mining laws, hold those responsible for illegal operations accountable and protect the country’s environment.

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