Vice President Professor Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang has reaffirmed the government’s unwavering commitment to ending illegal mining, commonly known as galamsey, urging Ghanaians abroad to support national efforts to protect the environment.
Addressing the Ghanaian community in Belgium during her visit to Brussels for the 2025 Global Gateway Forum, the Vice President outlined several measures the government is implementing to curb illegal mining, particularly in forest reserves and water bodies.
She emphasized that tackling the galamsey menace is a top priority, and the government is taking firm steps to ban mining in rivers and other protected areas.
“We’ve been mining gold for generations,” she noted. “So why now are our rivers so polluted? This wasn’t the case before.”
The Vice President stressed that recent environmental degradation is unprecedented and requires collective action to reverse. She appealed to Ghanaians in the diaspora to lend their voices and support to the fight against illegal mining.
Beyond environmental concerns, Professor Opoku-Agyemang also touched on key issues such as food safety, youth discipline, labour migration, and the high cost of exports to European markets.
She highlighted ongoing government initiatives including the Adwumawura Programme and the 24-Hour Economy Policy, which are aimed at creating sustainable jobs for both local residents and Ghanaians abroad.
In her message to parents, she encouraged them to instill pride in Ghana among their children and to guide them in making disciplined and future focused choices.
Wrapping up her address, the Vice President reaffirmed that eliminating galamsey is not only a government responsibility but a national one and called for a united front in protecting Ghana’s environment and future.
