BY: Kyei Kwadwo Yamoah, Executive Director of HELP foundation Africa
PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Date: November 7, 2025
Location: Accra, Ghana
Headline: HELP Foundation Africa urges coordinated national and district security response to disarm armed illegal miners, protect frontline officers, and prosecute financiers and political actors behind galamsey.
HELP Foundation Africa, a civil society organization working on environmental governance and community resilience, has called on the Government of Ghana to treat the galamsey crisis as a national security emergency.
The Foundation raised alarm over the increasing takeover of illegal mining sites by armed groups, who have attacked Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) officers, journalists, and National Alternative Employment and Livelihood Programme (NAELP/NAIMOS) personnel in recent weeks.
Speaking in Accra, Kyei Kwadwo Yamoah, Executive Director of HELP Foundation Africa, described the situation as an “environmental insurgency undermining state authority and threatening Ghana’s peace and stability.”
“What we are facing now is no longer just an environmental violation; it is organized armed crime,”
Yamoah said. “These armed galamsey gangs are well-financed and politically protected. They endanger officers, journalists, and communities, and they erode public trust in the rule of law.”
Galamsey as a National Security Threat
HELP Foundation Africa warns that illegal mining has evolved into a network of armed militias and financial cartels, exploiting gold resources, laundering proceeds, and operating with impunity.
The organization called on the Ministry of National Security to take over the coordination of anti-galamsey operations and deploy intelligence-led interventions to dismantle these networks.
The Foundation urged the government to reclassify illegal mining and armed environmental destruction as national security offenses, with stiffer penalties for financiers, political patrons, and public officials who enable or protect illegal operations.
Role of National and District Security Agencies
HELP Foundation Africa outlined a multi-level security response, emphasizing collaboration between National Security, Ghana Armed Forces, Ghana Police Service, District Security Councils (DISECs), and the Minerals Commission.
Recommended Actions:
- National Security Coordination: Lead and supervise intelligence-driven operations to identify and disarm armed mining groups.
- Ghana Armed Forces, NAIMOS and Police: Secure high-risk areas, protect EPA, Journalist and field teams, and maintain peace during site clearances.
- District Security Councils (DISECs):
- Set up joint intelligence desks including assembly members, traditional leaders, and police.
- Report security threats directly to Regional Security Councils and National Security.
- Escort EPA and environmental officers during operations.
Local Police Commands: Intensify patrols, monitor movement of excavators, fuel, and explosives, and dismantle local supply chains that sustain armed miners.
“We must protect the brave EPA, Journalists, CSOs, NAIMOS and Forestry officers who go into the field daily,” Yamoah emphasized.
“They are the State’s last line of defense for our environment, their safety is a national priority.”
Prosecuting Financiers and Political Actors
HELP Foundation Africa is calling for joint investigations by EOCO, the Financial Intelligence Centre (FIC), and the Bank of Ghana into illegal mining funding sources.
The organization insists that politicians, financiers, and chiefs who sponsor or shield galamsey operations must face swift prosecution and asset confiscation.
“The battle is not only in the forest or the riverbed, it is in the boardrooms and political offices where the money flows,”
Yamoah stated. “Without tackling the financiers and political patrons, no field operation will succeed.”
Protection for Journalists, CSOs and Field Officers
HELP Foundation Africa condemned the recent wave of attacks on journalists and EPA officers, describing them as acts of “eco-terrorism” that must attract national outrage and firm response.
The organization urged:
- Deployment of Rapid Response Units for emergency extractions in high-risk operations.
- 24-hour security escorts for environmental officials in volatile zones.
- Provision of insurance and hazard compensation for all government and NGO personnel engaged in environmental enforcement.
Restoration and Livelihood Alternatives
The Foundation proposed the creation of a National Restoration and Rehabilitation Corps to employ affected youth in reforestation, river desilting, and ecological recovery efforts across polluted mining areas.
This initiative, it said, could transform “former galamsey youth into environmental protectors.”
Appeal to Parliament and Judiciary
HELP Foundation Africa urged Parliament to amend the Minerals and Mining Act to impose mandatory prison terms and asset seizures for convicted illegal miners and financiers.
It also called for the establishment of special environmental courts to fast-track prosecution and prevent political interference.
A Call to Defend Ghana’s Future
In its concluding remarks, HELP Foundation Africa stated that the galamsey menace now poses a grave threat to Ghana’s sovereignty, economy, and human security.
“If armed groups are allowed to overrun our forests, rivers, and communities, then Ghana loses its moral and territorial sovereignty,”
Yamoah warned.
“We must act now with courage, coordination, and national unity to restore security, dignity, and environmental justice.”
About HELP Foundation Africa
HELP Foundation Africa is a Ghana-based civil society organization committed to promoting human rights, environmental justice, sustainable livelihoods, and accountable governance. The Foundation works closely with communities, state agencies, and media partners to support policy reforms, strengthen environmental enforcement, and empower citizens to defend their natural resources.
Signed
Kyei Kwadwo Yamoah
Executive Director, HELP Foundation Africa
Tel: +233 (0) 24 4817020 / +233 59 806 9009
info@helpfoundationafrica.org / helpfoundationghana@gmail.com / kkyeiyams@gmail.com
www.helpfoundationafrica.org
