Former Chief Justice Sophia Akuffo has called for an immediate moratorium on all forms of mining in Ghana, citing the devastating impact of illegal mining, popularly known as galamsey, on the country’s water bodies, farmlands and public health.
Speaking on Channel One TV on Wednesday, November 5, 2025, Justice Akuffo described the galamsey menace as a national crisis that has been allowed to fester due to political interference and 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.
She warned that the uncontrolled exploitation of natural resources has led to widespread pollution, poisoning of water sources and destruction of food crops.
“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 stated.
Justice Akuffo proposed a complete halt to all mining activities — whether legal or illegal, small-scale or large-scale — until proper regulatory frameworks are established.
“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,” she urged.
Her remarks follow growing calls on the government to tackle galamsey and a recent violent attack on officials of the National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS) at Hwidiem in the Ahafo Region on November 1, 2025.
According to police reports, the NAIMOS team was assaulted by a mob after arresting suspected illegal miners near Bronikrom. The officials had seized weapons, unregistered vehicles and mobile phones during the operation.
The Member of Parliament for Asutifi North, Ebenezer Kwaku Addo, is reported to have intervened at the scene, demanding the release of the arrested suspects.