Retired security analyst Colonel Festus Aboagye has stated that Ghana’s efforts to combat illegal mining, known as galamsey, are failing due to the involvement of powerful figures—from police officers to politicians—who are secretly engaged in the practice and protecting each other.

During an interview on The KeyPoints with Alfred Ocansey, Aboagye expressed frustration over government officials’ failure to fulfill promises of accountability. He recalled previous ministers who vowed to “name and shame” those involved in galamsey, but to date, no one has been identified or held accountable. Aboagye argued that this inaction is due to the involvement of people from all political sides and various sectors of society.

The retired colonel explained that the problem goes beyond individual actors and has infiltrated entire systems, including regional and district security frameworks. He pointed out that police officers are not the only ones involved in illegal mining, and the regional and district police commanders in galamsey areas have also been compromised.

Despite having access to intelligence, Aboagye believes that the state has not acted decisively due to the involvement of high-ranking officials across the political spectrum. He also revealed the existence of an informal “returns” system within the police, where revenue collected by officers in galamsey areas and other locations is shared up the chain of command. This practice, Aboagye argued, undermines the integrity of law enforcement.

Drawing from his experience in training police officers internationally, Aboagye emphasized that while this practice is not unique to Ghana, it is harmful to law enforcement. He argued that the recent decision to redeploy police officers in mining areas is not only justified but long overdue. He explained that rotating officials regularly helps prevent complacency, which can become a serious national security risk.

Aboagye also pointed out that the reshuffling of public officials, such as regional coordinating council chairs, district and municipal chief executives (DCEs and MCEs), was politically motivated, especially with the change in government. However, entrenched public officials like police commanders and forestry officials have been more difficult to rotate or change, which is why he supports the directive for the Inspector General of Police (IGP) to move officers around.

The retired colonel called for similar reforms in other institutions, such as the Minerals Commission and the Forestry Commission, where some officials have enabled environmental degradation by issuing excessive licenses. He criticized officials who issued an excessive number of mining licenses, calling for their removal and advocating for new leadership that aligns with the government’s vision for combating illegal mining.