There should be a moratorium on every form of mining- Sophia Akuffo

Former Chief Justice, Sophia Akuffo, has urged the government to impose a moratorium on all forms of mining in Ghana, citing the severe environmental destruction and pollution of water bodies caused by illegal mining, commonly known as galamsey.

Speaking on The Point of View on Channel One TV with Bernard Avle on Wednesday, November 5, Justice Akuffo said illegal mining has persisted for far too long due to political interference and public complacency.

“Galamsey didn’t become intractable in 2025; it became intractable long ago. And we have been playing games around it, dancing around it, and now it has become a political issue,” she said. “It has grown so many thieves that it is killing and poisoning everybody.”

She called on communities affected by illegal mining to rise up and resist the ongoing pollution of rivers, farmlands, and food crops, stressing that citizens must take collective responsibility for protecting the environment.

“It’s about time Ghanaians woke up and stopped being childish. We cannot continue to pollute our waters and our lands. A gift from God, we have used it to poison ourselves — that is wrong,” she said. “I believe there should be a moratorium on every form of mining, whether legal or illegal, small-scale or galamsey, until we sort ourselves out. This quest to mine our resources has gone out of hand. Let’s call for a pause.”

Justice Akuffo’s comments follow a recent violent attack on the National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS) at Hwidiem in the Ahafo Region on Saturday, November 1, 2025.

According to police reports, the NAIMOS team was assaulted by a mob after intercepting illegal miners operating near Bronikrom. The team had arrested several suspects and seized a Smith & Wesson pistol, ammunition, unregistered vehicles, and mobile phones before the attack.

The statement further noted that the Member of Parliament for Asutifi North, Ebenezer Kwaku Addo, allegedly arrived at the scene with a group and demanded the release of the arrested individuals.

Justice Akuffo’s call adds to growing public pressure on the government to take firm, non-partisan action against illegal mining, which continues to endanger Ghana’s water security and ecosystems.