WILL THE 2026 BUDGET END GALAMSEY

By: Kwadwo Kyei Yamoah, Executive Director: HELP Foundation Africa (+233 244817020) kkyeiyams@gmail.com

Ghana’s 2026 Budget, themed “Resetting for Growth, Jobs, and Economic Transformation,” takes several commendable steps to combat illegal mining (galamsey), a crisis threatening water security, forests, and livelihoods. The 2026 Budget contains many positive, concrete measures to fight galamsey: stronger enforcement (NAIMOS & security deployments), equipment controls, GPS tracking, gold traceability, license revocations, formalization of rCOMSDEP, and environmental programmes (Blue Water Guard, reforestation). Those are strong building blocks (specific references: pages 59, 69, 231 and the MLNR budget tables).

However, to win sustainably the government must close important gaps: guarantee long-term operational funding for enforcement, create a dedicated rehabilitation fund, legally bind traceability across buyers and exporters, scale alternative livelihoods at meaningful financial scale, and strengthen prosecution/asset recovery and public monitoring. The recommendations above are practical additions the Budget could adopt (or propose for the 2027 Budget) to make the anti-galamsey strategy both effective and sustainable.

THE POSITIVES: There are Positive budgeted actions to combat galamsey in the 2026 budget statement and the specific pages & measures are as follow:

• Page 69:High-security designation for key water bodies and forest reserves
  • Measure: Government has declared critical water bodies and forest reserves “high-security zones” and will protect them “by law and by force.”
  • Why it matters: This creates legal basis for permanent protection and prioritises enforcement resources.

• Page 69: Import controls on heavy mining equipment
  • Measure: Importers of excavators now require prior approval from the Ministry of Transport, verified by shipping lines and Customs.
  • Why it matters: This cuts off the flow of heavy equipment that makes illegal large-scale digging easy and destructive.
• Page 69:GPS tracking of heavy mining equipment
  • Measure: The Minerals Commission has begun installing GPS tracking on heavy equipment for real-time monitoring.
  • Why it matters: Improves traceability of machines and helps detect misuse or illegal deployments.
• Page 69: NAIMOS (National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat) & enforcement force
  • Measure: NAIMOS coordinates enforcement across agencies; 1,000 dedicated officers have been permanently deployed with logistics and surveillance equipment. Reported seizures include excavators, heavy trucks, pumps and foreign nationals handed to immigration.
  • Why it matters: Centralised coordination + permanent deployments are crucial for sustained enforcement and disruption of organised galamsey syndicates.
• Page 69 / Page 70:Licence review and revocations
  • Measure: Review of mining licences resulted in 300 revocations for non-compliance.
  • Why it matters: Demonstrates willingness to use regulatory tools and remove illegal or non-compliant actors from the system

• Page 69:Blue Water Guard Initiative
  • Measure: 983 guards recruited to protect rivers and wetlands.
  • Why it matters: Local presence to protect water bodies and provide rapid reporting/enforcement support.

• Page 59: Gold traceability & GoldBod measures
  • Measure: Gold Board (GoldBod) to roll out a comprehensive Gold Traceability System (beginning 2026) so every gram purchased can be traced to a verified, licensed, environmentally compliant origin. Also policy push to deepen domestic refining and value-addition.
  • Why it matters: Tracing gold from mine to market cuts demand for illicit gold and strengthens incentives to source legally.

• Page 69: Formalization & skills development (rCOMSDEP)
  • Measure: Launch of Responsible Cooperative Mining and Skills Development Programme (rCOMSDEP) to formalize artisanal miners into cooperatives (initial pilots: Obuasi, Bibiani, Anwia-Teleku Bokazo).
  • Why it matters: Formalization offers legal pathways, training, access to finance and rehabilitation obligations instead of driving miners underground.

• Page 231 and budget tables for MLNR / Forestry:Budget lines for environment, NAIMOS, alternative livelihoods and Make Ghana Green
  • Measure: The Ministry of Lands & Natural Resources shows multi-hundred million cedi allocations (MLNR total > GH¢1.2bn across line items) that include NAIMOS, alternative livelihood projects, Make Ghana Green and forestry/rehabilitation actions.
  • Why it matters: Funding is explicitly assigned to institutions and programmes that act on illegal mining and restoration.
• Pages 69–70 / other cross-references:Legal & policy reforms
  • Measure: Review of the Minerals & Mining Policy (2014) and Mines Act (Act 703) to create a new artisanal & medium-scale category, streamline mandates, and strengthen the Minerals Development Fund.
  • Why it matters: Legal clarification reduces loopholes that enable illegal operators to evade regulation.

GAPS / WEAKNESSES IN THE BUDGET’S APPROACH TO GALAMSEY

• Enforcement funding vs. operational sustainability (there is a gap in long-term resourcing):  Although 1,000 officers are deployed, the budget does not clearly show multi-year operational budgets (fuel, maintenance, pay, forensic labs, sustained surveillance) or a dedicated, ring-fenced line to keep NAIMOS fully operational over time. The budget lists allocations to MLNR but lacks explicit recurrent operating detail for NAIMOS.
  • Limited dedicated rehabilitation & restoration fund: The Budget documents reforestation targets and some rehabilitation actions, but there’s no clearly ring-fenced national reclamation / mine-rehabilitation fund with explicit per-hectare financing and accountable procurement for land restoration.
  • Traceability system scale & integration unclear: Gold traceability and GPS on excavators are excellent, but the budget lacks detail on integration (GPS → customs → GoldBod → financial sector). There is little evidence of statutory requirements for buyers (banks, exporters) to refuse un-traced nuggets or sanctions for non-compliance.
  • Insufficient community/alternative livelihood funding at scale; rCOMSDEP and alternative livelihood mentions exist, but the funding size and scale-up plan to absorb large numbers of miners into legal livelihoods (agriculture, agro-processing, formalized mining, eco-tourism) are not explicit.
  • Weak incentives/disincentives for downstream buyers: No explicit fiscal or regulatory disincentives for purchasing un-traceable gold (e.g., bank reporting requirements or penalties) are specified in budget lines.
  • Data, monitoring & independent oversight gaps: The budget references improved statistical capacity and traceability, but dedicated funding for satellite/remote-sensing monitoring, independent environmental audits, and public dashboards on NAIMOS enforcement outcomes are not fully specified.
  • Justice & asset recovery follow-through not explicit: Seizures and prosecution are reported, but the budget doesn’t clearly earmark resources for prosecution capacity, special courts, asset forfeiture mechanisms or reinvestment of recovered assets into restoration.
  • Risk of political/local interference: The success of deployment hinges on local political will and protection for enforcement officers; the Budget lacks clear safeguards (e.g., protections for whistleblowers, community complaint mechanisms, independent oversight).

RECOMMENDATIONS:  What To Do (Practical, Budget-Oriented)

1. Ring-fence and publish NAIMOS operational budget
   • Action: Create a NAIMOS Operations Fund in 2026 with explicit line items (fuel, maintenance, satellite airtime, forensic kits, protective gear).
   • Why: Ensures enforcement is sustainable and transparent.
2. Create an Emergency Rehabilitation & Restoration Fund
   • Action: Allocate a dedicated fund (example: GH¢200–500m initial capital) to finance immediate land and river rehabilitation per hectare, prioritized by environmental damage.
   • Why: Rapid remediation reduces long-term costs of water and soil restoration.
3. Integrate GPS & traceability into customs, GoldBod & banks
   • Action: Mandate electronic integration so equipment import permits, GPS registrations, and gold traceability IDs are cross-checked with customs and all licensed buyers before any sale or export. Provide resources to implement APIs and verification systems.
   • Why: Prevents laundering of illicit equipment and gold.

4. Mandatory due diligence for gold buyers (banks & exporters)
   • Action: Budget for the Ghana Gold Board (GoldBod) and Bank of Ghana to run a buyer’s compliance programme: banks must verify GoldBod trace IDs before purchasing or financing gold; non-compliance attracts fines or license suspension.
   • Why: Cuts market for illicit gold.
5. Expand Blue Water Guard and community rangers with pay/incentives
   • Action: Convert some Blue Water Guard positions into paid, trained community rangers with clear mandates, oversight, and livelihood linkages (e.g., employment with Forestry/MLNR). Fund training and supervision.
   • Why: Community buy-in reduces local support for galamsey.

6. Scale rCOMSDEP, link to finance & markets
   • Action: Budget a rCOMSDEP Scale-Up Window: capital for cooperatives to buy safety equipment, small mechanisation, seed capital, and access to formal gold markets (via GoldBod). Ensure technical assistance and environmental compliance grants.
   • Why: Formalisation must come with market access; otherwise miners return to illicit methods.
7. Establish a Satellite / Remote Sensing Monitoring Unit
   • Action: Fund a unit (in GSS or MLNR) to procure satellite imagery subscriptions, train analysts, and produce monthly public maps of illegal mining hotspots and progress in rehabilitation.
   • Why: Cost-effective detection and deterrence; useful evidence for prosecutions.
8. Strengthen prosecution, asset forfeiture, and reinvest recovered assets
   • Action: Provide budget to Attorney-General’s office and Office of the Special Prosecutor for specialized anti-galamsey prosecution teams and to operationalise an asset recovery mechanism that channels convicted offenders’ assets into the Rehabilitation Fund.
   • Why: Deterrence and financing for restoration.
9. Make traceability legally binding & link to trade deals
   • Action: Amend regulations to require all exported gold to carry GoldBod traceID; link traceability compliance to export incentives and export licensing. Fund the legal and IT work required.
   • Why: Closes demand side and enhances export credibility.
10. Scale alternative livelihoods & jobs in affected districts
    • Action: Budget for targeted agro-processing hubs, vocational training, and micro-enterprises focused on mining-affected districts (e.g., fisheries, poultry, cassava/rice processing) with conditional cash or seed grants.
    • Why: Reduced economic push factors to galamsey.

GOVERNANCE & TRANSPARENCY (CROSS-CUTTING)

11. Independent monitoring dashboard & civil society participation
    • Action: Fund a public dashboard that publishes NAIMOS operations, seizures, prosecutions, rehabilitated hectares, and funds disbursed. Create a small budget for civil society and community monitoring grants.
    • Why: Builds public trust and reduces corruption.
12. Whistleblower & protection mechanisms
    • Action: Budget for local hotline, protection services and small rewards for verified info that leads to convictions/seizures.
    • Why: Encourages community reporting.

WHAT NEW BUDGET LINES / AMOUNTS THE BUDGET COULD ADD TO BE EFFICIENT (PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS)

(These are suggested categories; the exact amounts should be costed by MLNR/Finance. Below are priorities to include in 2027 budget planning.)

1. NAIMOS Operations Fund (recurrent): example starting allocation: GH¢150–300 million / year (fuel, logistics, maintenance, overtime).
2. National Rehabilitation & Restoration Fund (capital):  seed GH¢300–600 million to finance large-scale reclamation, river dredging, reforestation and soil remediation.
3. rCOMSDEP Scale-Up Window:  GH¢150–250 million (cooperative capitalization, equipment, environmental compliance grants).
4. Gold Traceability Integration & Compliance Programme:  GH¢30–60 million (IT systems, customs integration, bank onboarding, enforcement).
5. Remote Sensing & Data Unit: GH¢10–25 million (satellite subscriptions, staff, training, dashboards).
6. Prosecution & Asset Recovery Unit: GH¢20–40 million (specialized prosecutors, forensic accounting, legal support).
7. Community Alternative Livelihoods & Skills (district level): GH¢200–300 million targeted to top 20 most affected districts (agro-processing, fishery, value chain development).
8. Public Transparency / Civil Society Monitoring Grants: GH¢5–10 million (small grants, hotlines, public dashboards).

By: Kwadwo Kyei Yamoah, Executive Director: HELP Foundation Africa (+233 244817020) kkyeiyams@gmail.com