Movement for Change Unveils Ten-Point Action Plan to End Galamsey After Tragic Loss of Eight Lives

The Movement for Change has issued a strong call for an immediate and decisive end to illegal small-scale mining, popularly known as galamsey, following the tragic incident of Wednesday, August 13, 2025, which claimed the lives of eight gallant Ghanaians.

In a statement signed by its Director of Communications and Spokesperson, Mr. Solomon Owusu, the Movement described galamsey as an “existential threat” to the nation and urged swift action to address the menace. To this effect, the group has outlined a Ten-Point Action Plan aimed at bringing an end to the destructive practice and restoring Ghana’s degraded lands and water bodies.

The proposals include:

1. Immediate Ban on Small-Scale Mining: By Executive Instrument, suspend all artisanal and small-scale mining—whether legal or illegal—for one year.
2. Suspension of Mining in Forest Reserves: Parliament should, under a Certificate of Urgency, suspend the application of Legislative Instrument (L.I.) 2462, which allows mining in forest reserves.
3. Revocation of Licenses: Cancel all small-scale and community mining licenses issued within the last 15 years, followed by a full audit conducted by a task force from the Gold Board, EPA, Water Resources Commission, and Minerals Commission.
4. Fresh Licensing Regime: Issue new licenses only after the audit, with the involvement of traditional authorities.
5. Demobilization of Mining Equipment: All machinery on mining sites to be seized, inventoried, and stored by the 48 Engineers Regiment of the Ghana Armed Forces.
6. Land Restoration Programme: Launch a nationwide initiative, led by the Forestry Commission, to reclaim and regenerate degraded lands, employing former small-scale miners under CSIR’s supervision.
7. River Body Restoration: A joint EPA and Water Resources Commission programme, with technical support from CSIR’s Water Research Institute, to restore all polluted rivers.
8. New Mining Legislation: Introduce laws to permanently ban mining in rivers and forest reserves, with life imprisonment as the ultimate sanction for violators.
9. Youth in Responsible Mining Initiative: Support former galamsey operators to form private mining companies, providing them with licenses, equipment on a work-and-pay basis, and off-taker agreements with the Gold Board.
10. Community Watchdog Groups: Establish local citizens’ mining protection groups in every mining community to monitor responsible mining practices.

The Movement for Change emphasized that this Ten-Point Plan is fully detailed in its Great Transformational Plan (GTP), which envisions a sustainable and responsible mining sector that safeguards lives, preserves the environment, and secures the future of the nation.

“The time has come to draw a hard line against galamsey. The blood of our fallen brothers must not be in vain,” Mr. Owusu stated, stressing the need for collective national action.