Communications, Digital Technology and Innovations Minister Sam Nartey George has challenged critics seeking to hold him responsible for illegal mining, questioning whether the practice falls under the mandate of his ministry.
Speaking in an interview on Kumasi-based Oyerepa TV, George asked whether the Communications Ministry was responsible for overseeing galamsey, as illegal mining is popularly known in Ghana.
The Ningo/Prampram lawmaker added that tackling illegal mining was the responsibility of the government and maintained that offenders should be prosecuted regardless of whether they belonged to the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC) or the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP).
“I don’t care whoever is involved in galamsey; if he is an NPP or NDC, even if he is my father, that person is committing a murderous crime and that person, in my opinion, needs to face the full rigours of the law irrespective of their political party,” he said.
His comments come amid renewed scrutiny of his past remarks on illegal mining and demands for the government to intensify efforts to tackle the practice, which has contributed to pollution of water bodies and damage to forest reserves.
George, then an opposition MP, had previously criticised the Akufo-Addo administration over its handling of illegal mining. In April 2025, after joining President John Dramani Mahama’s government, he argued that it was unfair to expect the new administration to resolve the problem within 90 days, pointing to the previous government’s nearly eight years in office.
The Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources leads key policy efforts against illegal mining, working with other state agencies responsible for enforcement and environmental protection.
Galamsey remains a major environmental challenge in Ghana, with concerns over water pollution, forest destruction and the impact of mining activities on communities.
