The Member of Parliament for Afigya Kwabre North, Collins Adomako Mensah, has openly admitted that Ghanaian politicians, including himself, have not done enough to combat the persistent challenge of illegal small scale mining, commonly known as galamsey.

Speaking on Joy FM’s Super Morning Show on Monday, January 19, the MP, who also serves as the Ranking Member on Parliament’s Energy Committee, acknowledged that the political class has largely failed to address the menace effectively.

According to him, politicians have often lacked the resolve to confront galamsey decisively, despite its devastating impact on the environment and national resources.

“We as politicians have not done well when it comes to the fight against galamsey, and I am a politician and I am saying it. Shamefully, I have to admit that we politicians are not very forceful when it comes to that aspect,” he stated.

He added that the situation cannot be allowed to continue unchecked and stressed the need for urgent change.

“But we cannot continue like this. It has to get to a point where things must change,” he said.

Mr Adomako Mensah further explained that political considerations and fear of losing electoral support have often discouraged firm action against illegal mining activities. He revealed that in some constituencies, a significant portion of the youth are directly or indirectly involved in galamsey, making enforcement politically sensitive.

“You can go to a particular constituency where sixty to seventy percent of the indigenes, especially the youth, are involved in some form of illegal mining. They will tell you plainly that if you speak against galamsey, they will vote you out. Records exist to show that some politicians have suffered defeat or public humiliation because of their stance against illegal mining,” he noted.

Despite these challenges, the MP called on his colleagues in Parliament to rise above political pressure and demonstrate leadership by taking bold and principled actions to address the problem. He assured that the Minority in Parliament is ready to contribute meaningfully to the national fight against galamsey.

Mr Adomako Mensah’s comments come on the heels of a new investigative documentary by JoyNews’ Hotline team, which exposed how illegal mining activities are posing a serious threat to the Bui Power Plant, one of Ghana’s critical energy assets.

The revelations have once again intensified calls for stronger political will and coordinated action to protect the country’s environment, water bodies, and strategic infrastructure from the destructive effects of galamsey.