Academic City University recently organized a high-level seminar titled “Unpacking Galamsey: Uncovering Treasures in Responsible Mining” to address one of Ghana’s most pressing challenges — illegal mining. The session examined the environmental, health, and socio-economic consequences of galamsey while exploring actionable solutions for more responsible and sustainable practices.
The seminar brought together a diverse panel of leaders from civil society, academia, industry, traditional leadership, and the media. Discussions underscored the need for coordinated action and innovative policies to curb illegal mining, which has grown beyond livelihood-driven activity into a major source of unchecked profits.
Ing. Dr. Lucy Agyepong, Vice President of Institutional Advancement at Academic City, emphasized that galamsey is deeply rooted in long-standing community practices, making multi-stakeholder collaboration essential. She called for collective effort to mitigate the far-reaching impact of the issue.
Panelists included Osaberima Okoampa Asamoa Dekyem (Chief of Akyem Asamama), Ing. Dr. Ken Ashigbey (CEO, Ghana Chamber of Telecommunications), Dr. Ishmael Quaicoe (Senior Lecturer, UMaT), and Samuel Attah-Mensah (Managing Director, Citi FM). They explored policy reforms, sustainable mining methods, and ways to empower communities to protect their land and resources.
Dr. Ashigbey noted: “The real challenge lies not with local communities earning modest amounts, but with those profiting millions from illegal mining activities without accountability.”
Through this platform, Academic City reaffirmed its role as a thought leader in national development — bringing diverse voices together to chart a path toward responsible mining and sustainable growth for Ghana’s future.
