By Obiabin Onukwugha
Ghanaian authorities have banned illegal gold mining activities, known as galamsey, across the country.
This followed the decision of the government to impose stricter visa procedures for Chinese nationals.
According to the government, illegal mining activities was posing existential threat to its environment and destroying water bodies, farmlands, and endangering future generations.
Ghana’s Foreign Affairs Minister, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, revealed this during a press briefing in Accra, following a recent official visit by the Minister to China, where he engaged with provincial authorities in regions “notorious” for sending nationals to Ghana to engage in illegal mining.
He said under the new directive, Ghana’s embassy in Beijing and consulate in Guangzhou will no longer process group visa applications. Instead, all applicants must appear in person for an interview before a visa can be issued.
“We no longer process group visa applications. Everybody must show up for an interview, no matter if you claim you are coming for a conference or an excursion. There is a strict directive that no more group processing of visas,” Ablakwa said.
The Ghanaian authorities described galamsey, an “existential threat,” warning that its spread is devastating rivers, forests, and farmland while undermining legitimate mining operations.
“I did not mince words at all. I really stated President Mahama’s position that this cannot continue. We welcome good investors to come partner with us and transform our economy, but we will not accept you sending your nationals here to engage in galamsey,” he said.
Ablakwa acknowledged that while most Chinese investors contribute positively to transformative sectors, a small but persistent number have been involved in destructive mining practices.
“There is no official Chinese government policy to come and destroy our environment. But this galamsey menace is really a menace that all of us must confront. It aches my heart. It gives all of us sleepless nights. If we don’t deal with it boldly and ruthlessly, we are virtually on a suicidal path,” the Foreign Affairs Minister further stated.
Recall that in April, authorities directed all foreign nationals to exit the local gold trading market by the end of the month, following the passage of the Ghana Gold Board bill by Parliament, which was signed into law by President John Dramani Mahama on April 2.
The move also coincided with the launch of the Ghana Gold Board (GoldBod), which now holds exclusive authority to buy, sell, assay, and export artisanal gold. Previous licenses that allowed foreigners to purchase gold from small-scale miners were revoked.
Business Insider Africa reports that Ghana, Africa’s top gold producer and the world’s sixth largest, has long struggled with illegal mining.
The activity has surged amid economic hardship, polluting rivers and damaging the environment despite government interventions. Galamsey was also a significant issue during last year’s presidential election, triggering public protests and criticism of previous authorities.
The new visa and gold trading measures represent a dual strategy, controlling foreign participation to safeguard Ghana’s gold resources and environment while enabling genuine investors to drive the country’s economic transformation.
