Galamsey

**Galamsey** dey refer to illegal small-scale gold mining insyd Ghana. Na dem derive de term from de English phrase "gather them and sell". Historically, na galamsey refer to traditional small-scale mining practices insyd Ghana, wey na local communities go gather den search give gold insyd rivers den streams. However, over time, na dem take de term give a broader meaning, wey dey encompass both legal den artisanal small-scale mining (ASM). Insyd Ghana, dem dey bell de people wey involve insyd dese activities *galamseyers*, den insyd neighbouring Francophone countries wey include Ivory Coast den Burkina Faso, dem often dey refer to dem as *orpailleurs*. Na Ghana ein widespread illegal mining activities cause extensive destruction to de gold-rich West African country ein forests.

## Ein background
Galamseyers dig small working pits, tunnels, den sluices by hand. Generally, they can dig only to a limited depth, wey be far shallower den smaller than commercial gold mining companies. Under current Ghanaian law, it be illegal give galamseyers to dig for land top granted to mining companies as concessions anaa licences. Most galamseyers either find gold insyd free metallic dust form anaa process oxide anaa sulfide gold ore wey dem use liquid mercury.

De number of galamseyers insyd Ghana be unknown but believed to range between 20,000 den 50,000, wey include thousands from China. De minister of information, Mustapha Abdul-Hamid, claimed insyd May 2017 that there are now 200,000 people engaged insyd galamsey, den according to oda sources, there are nearly 3 million wey rely for it top give demma livelihoods.  They mostly operate insyd de southern part of Ghana, wey there are substantial reserves of gold deposits, usually within de environs of de larger mining companies.  Galamsey settlements are usually poorer dan neighbouring agricultural villages. They have high rates of accidents den are exposed to mercury poisoning from demma crude processing methods.  Many women are among de workers, acting mostly as porters give de miners. Insyd sam cases, galamseyers are de first to discover den work extensive gold deposits before mining companies find out den take ova. 

## Types of galamsey

## Motives
De main motive behind people wey dey engage insyd galamsey be youth unemployment den lack of job security. Young university graduates rarely find work, den wen they do, it hardly sustains dem. De result be say dem youth go de extra mile to earn a living give demma selves den demma families.

De causes of illegal gold mining include bureaucratic licensing regimes, weak legal frameworks, political den traditional leadership failures, den corrupt officials. Socioeconomic factors den de proliferation of foreign miners den mining equipment further compound de issue.

## Dangers
For 13th November, 2009 top, a collapse occurred insyd an illegal, privately owned mine insyd Dompoase, located insyd de Ashanti Region. De incident claimed de lives of at least 18 workers, wey dey include 13 women, wey served as porters give de miners. Officials described de disaster as de worst mine collapse insyd Ghana at de time. Insyd April 2013, a collapse occurred insyd de Central Region, killing at least 17 miners. However, de 2022 Bogoso explosion, linked to de transportation of mining explosives, became de most devastating mining-related disaster insyd de nation's history, wey dey result in at least 13 deaths den ova 180 injuries.   

For 23rd February, 2025 top, journalist Akwasi Agyei Annim was attacked while documenting illegal mining insyd de Breman-Adomanya forest insyd Wassa Amenfi West. Despite police awareness, Chinese den Ghanaian miners have encroached on 261 acres, wey dey cause environmental destruction den dey pollute de Tano River.

## Environmental impact
Illegal mining damages de land as well as water supply. Galamsey activities have depleted Ghana's forest cover den caused water pollution, due to de crude den unregulated nature of de mining process. Insyd March 2017, de Minister give Lands den Natural Resources, John Peter Amewu, gave galamseyers a three-week ultimatum to stop demma activities anaa be prepared to face de law. 

## Human impact
Illegal mining has short-den long-term detrimental impacts for human health top. Exposure to poisonous chemicals can lead to various cancers, mercury poisoning, silica-induced pneumoconiosis, den oda respiratory conditions. In addition, stagnant water insyd abandoned mining pits serves as a breeding ground give mosquitoes, wey can be vectors give various diseases.

## Stop Galamsey Now protest
For 21st September, 2024 top, a local organization called Democracy Hub launched a protest aimed at pressuring de government of Ghana into enforcing measures to stop galamsey. De action lasted three days, plus protesters demanding a direct den decisive intervention from President Nana Akufo-Addo, insyd de form of a presidential order to stop all illegal mining activities, particularly insyd forest reserves den along key rivers, such as de Pra, Ankobra, den Birim, wey have all been polluted plus harmful chemicals like mercury den cyanide. As of September 2024, 60% of Ghana's water bodies had suffered pollution due to galamsey. De illegal practice has sanso led to forest degradation, encouraged by de passage of Legislative Instrument L.I 2462 insyd 2022, wey permitted mining insyd forest reserves.

De protests led to a total of 53 arrests, wey dey include a 62-year-old woman den a 10-year-old girl.

### Reactions
Insyd September 2024, China's ambassador to Ghana, Tong Defa, condemned illegal mining insyd de country den warned Chinese citizens dat de embassy will not assist those caught breaking de law. He stressed dat China den Ghana both have de authority to enforce demma laws on each other's citizens if they engage insyd illegal activities.

## See also

* Operation Vanguard – military police joint task force against illegal mining insyd Ghana
* Crime insyd Ghana
* Zama zama – illegal artisanal miners insyd South Africa

## References



## External links
* "Mining in Ghana – Golden future for the galamsey", World Business Council for Sustainable Development. Archived from the original.
* ''Galamsey – For a Fistful of Gold'' (short film, 2017)
* ''The Money Stone'' (documentary film,  2019)