Vincent Kusi Kyei, National Treasurer of the Ghana Institute of Foresters (GIF), says Ghana can no longer afford leniency in the fight against illega
Vincent Kusi Kyei, National Treasurer of the Ghana Institute of Foresters (GIF), says Ghana can no longer afford leniency in the fight against illegal mining, insisting that the country must reinstate the burning of excavators used for galamsey.
Speaking passionately on Adom FM’s Dwaso Nsem, Mr. Kyei said weak enforcement has emboldened illegal miners and accelerated the destruction of water bodies and forest reserves.
He questioned why heavy machinery is allowed into the country without proper verification before authorities attempt to track its use. “Why should we allow the excavators to get to Ghana before we track them?” he asked, arguing that the current system makes illegal mining easier rather than more difficult.
Mr. Kyei said that if excavators imported into the country were genuinely intended for legitimate purposes, their presence would be felt in sectors in urgent need of them. “Roads are bad in Ghana, so why won’t the excavators be working on the road?” he noted.
Describing the destruction of illegal mining machinery as the most effective deterrent, he stated: “We must burn the excavators; it is business for the people.” He argued that eliminating the machines would cut galamsey operators off from the profits that keep the activity alive. He further suggested recycling the remains: “We should burn the excavators and use the metal for iron rods or whatever.”
Mr. Kyei criticized authorities for permitting machinery to be imported without strict scrutiny, only beginning tracking after the equipment has arrived at illegal sites. “We can’t ask the purpose of the importation but will allow it into the country before tracking,” he lamented.
He also revealed that even members of the security services believe stronger enforcement is now necessary. “The last time, some soldiers said it is about time we allow them to exert their powers, and I think it is true. That is where we are now. We are always giving excuses,” he said.
Highlighting what he called misplaced national priorities, he observed: “In Parliament, if MPs want something like ex gratia or salary increments, they will work on it and get it in less than a week. So why is it that this issue threatening our existence cannot be dealt with decisively?”
Mr. Kyei warned that without bold measures—including the reinstatement of burning excavators—Ghana risks losing its rivers, forests, and ecological future.