The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Ghana Gold Board (GoldBod), Sammy Gyamfi, has asserted that the quality of water in areas affected by illegal mining activities, commonly known as galamsey, has shown significant improvement.
Mr. Gyamfi cited recent data on turbidity levels—the measure of cloudiness or haziness in water—as evidence that rivers and streams in mining regions are gradually recovering.
To buttress his point, he presented official comparative data from the Water Resources Commission that showed that turbidity levels have improved in several water bodies from September 2024 to September 2025 and that the improvements reflect the positive strides being made in the fight against galamsey under the 8-month-old government led by President John Dramani Mahama.
According to him, the figures demonstrate that the turbidity levels of major water bodies are lower today compared to previous years when illegal mining pollution reached alarming levels.
He argued that the trend shows ongoing efforts are beginning to yield results.
He, however, emphasised that while progress has been made, more decisive measures are needed to protect the country’s water resources from further degradation.
Gyamfi called for stronger regulation, proper reclamation of degraded lands, and political will in enforcing anti-galamsey laws.
Some have argued that in order to paint a fair picture of the Mahama-led government’s record in the fight against galamsey, he compared February 2025 turbidity data with September 2025 data, instead of comparing September 2024 turbidity data with September 2025 data.
He observed that positive strides, though modest at this stage, are being made in the government’s genuine fight against the illegal mining menace.
Reflecting on the past, Gyamfi noted that in 2024, there was virtually no fight against illegal mining in Ghana. “What we witnessed,” he said, “was not a fight against galamsey, but rather a fight against those who stood up against galamsey. The government of the day persecuted activists, stakeholders, and voices of conscience who called for the protection of our environment. It is for this reason that many Ghanaians voted for change in the December 2024 polls.”
He said the situation today is markedly different. Under the 8-month-old NDC/Mahama government, there is a renewed and deliberate effort to tackle illegal mining head-on.
“This ongoing fight, unlike the previous one, is clearly backed by genuine political will and commitment on the part of the President and his government,” Gyamfi stressed.
He acknowledged that while the progress may appear modest, the foundation is being laid for a more effective and sustainable solution.
The current administration, he said, has demonstrated seriousness by instituting tougher monitoring systems, empowering relevant state institutions, and showing zero tolerance for political interference in enforcement.
Sammy Gyamfi concluded by urging Ghanaians to rally behind the government’s efforts, noting that the fight against galamsey requires collective responsibility.
“We may not have achieved everything yet, but for the first time in many years, we can all attest that a genuine fight against illegal mining is underway,” he emphasized.
Here’s the data he shared from the Water Resources Commission that shows the turbidity levels of five (5) key water bodies for February 2025 and July 2025.
1. Dadieso — River Bia
* February 2025: 5,450 NTU
* July 2025: 372 NTU
2. Adiembra — River Offin
* February 2025: 5,740 NTU
* July 2025: 2,205 NTU
3. Daboase — River Pra
* February 2025: 4,800 NTU
* July 2025: 2,820 NTU
4. Akim Oda — River Birem
* February 2025: 3,824 NTU
* July 2025: 1,710 NTU
5. Osino — River Birem
February 2025: 4,960 NTU
July 2025: 4,505 NTU