According to Dr Kenneth Ashigbey, convener of the Media Coalition Against Illegal Mining, reclaiming just 3,000 hectares of land destroyed by illegal mining could cost Ghana around $120 million.

Speaking on Joy FM’s Super Morning Show on Wednesday, April 16 2025, Mr Ashigbey said the country cannot afford the cost of reversing the damage caused by galamsey, which he described as a worsening national crisis involving foreign mercenaries, powerful local actors, and weak enforcement.

He explained that it would take an average of $40,000 to restore a single hectare of degraded land. “If 3,000 hectares have been destroyed, that’s a minimum of $120 million needed, money Ghana simply doesn’t have right now,” he said.

Mr Ashigbey questioned how the country would fund such an exercise at a time when the government is already struggling to meet basic obligations.

“State-owned enterprises have been stretched to stabilise the economy. Where will Ghana find $120 million just to restore forests, not to mention the other costs involved in tackling galamsey?” he asked.

He also raised concerns about the security threats linked to illegal mining, saying many sites are protected by heavily armed groups made up of foreign operatives. These groups, sometimes referred to as "committees", are said to operate with better firepower than state agencies and often intimidate forestry officials while collecting illegal revenues.

“These are not ordinary Ghanaians,” Mr Ashigbey said. “They are foreign combatants working with politically exposed persons. If the state cannot match their weapons, how can we win this fight?”

He called on President John Mahama to declare a state of emergency in illegal mining areas and to militarise forest protection.

“We need rangers trained and armed like those in the US able to outgun these groups. Deporting foreigners isn’t enough. We must prosecute them under Act 995 and dismantle the entire network.”

Mr Ashigbey criticised the current approach to enforcement, pointing out that illegal miners often return shortly after military operations end. “When the task force left ‘Jerusalem’, a galamsey hotspo,t miners were back the next morning, rebuilding their structures,” he said.

He accused authorities of allowing foreign kingpins to re-enter the country after deportation and called for full enforcement of existing laws. “Why is Act 995 not being applied? We need stronger political will,” he said.