Galamsey Is A Big Moral And Political Crisis

Professor Peter Atuire made a strong case during the Second Kwame Gyekye Memorial Lecture that galamsey, or unlawful small-scale mining, is a moral and political challenge in Ghana rather than just an environmental or legal one. He underlined that the continued existence of galamsey is a reflection of ingrained moral deficiencies as well as a breakdown in social duty, political accountability, and shared ideals.

Professor Atuire emphasized that national agreement is needed to combat galamsey, not merely technical solutions or punitive actions. This implies that Ghana has to:

• Engage all stakeholders—traditional leaders, politicians, religious bodies, miners, and civil society.

• Rebuild trust and commitment to the common good.

• Create an ethical framework for decision-making that prioritizes long-term wellbeing over short-term profit.

He called for the Ghanaian society to face culpability at all levels and regain responsibility over the land and future generations by advocating for a united, morally grounded approach.

“Let’s stop seeing galamsey as a ‘YOU’ problem. It is a ‘WE’ problem”, he said

“Galamsey is a response to dispossession and exclusion. It is a symptom of structural injustices that continue to deprive communities of fair access to the nation’s natural wealth.”

“What we need is an ethical shift, a return to values that promote the common good through inclusive dialogue and trust.”

Prof. Atuire also advocated for the establishment of a Natural Resources Consensus, encouraging participatory governance and ethical decision-making to address the complexities of illegal mining.

He also referenced the late Prof. Kwame Gyekye’s concept of moderate communitarianism, suggesting that solutions should move away from adversarial politics towards shared civic responsibility.