The Member of Parliament for Wa West, Hon. Peter Lanchene Toobu, has outlined President John Dramani Mahama’s strategy to tackle illegal small-scale mining (galamsey), anchoring the plan on public buy-in, rapid regulatory reform, and uncompromising enforcement. Mahama returned to office on January 7, 2025, after winning the December 2024 election.
In a statement, Toobu said the approach is designed to be “flexible with sensors,” inviting citizens and civil society to help track progress through an open Monitoring and Evaluation unit. “Let’s do this together,” he urged.
He listed seven core actions:
1. Continuous public engagement to secure broad national buy-in.
2. Swift regulatory reforms, with technology adoption as an accelerator.
3. Enforcement without fear or favour by NAIMOS, the Minerals Commission, and the Attorney-General.
4. Alternative and sustainable livelihoods: responsible cooperative mining for those staying in the sector, plus skills and entrepreneurship training for those exiting.
5. Land reclamation to repair environmental damage and create jobs.
6. Monthly, publicly reported reviews of strategic impact.
7. Strong political will to drive and sustain the entire effort.
Expanding on the plan, Toobu said a national land-reclamation drive would respond to degraded sites while creating jobs. Monthly public reviews are expected to keep the process transparent and responsive, with the Open Monitoring & Evaluation Unit including civil society to ensure no one is left behind.
By November 2026—after the next rainy season—the government aims to convene a national conference to evaluate results and impact from the first year. Toobu invited further ideas from stakeholders, stressing that the framework is intentionally adaptable as conditions on the ground evolve.
By: Adil Fuseini
