A new infographic sheds light on the complex web of interests driving galamsey, Ghana’s illegal small-scale mining. It reveals that for many in rural communities, galamsey is more than a crime—it’s a source of livelihood and hope. Rural youth and traders see it as a way to survive amid declining farm incomes, while migrant youth view it as a risky but rewarding escape from unemployment and poverty.
For others, the motivation is economic and political. Local investors, including some businesspeople and politicians, treat galamsey as a sector that guarantees high returns and shields their identity. Foreign investors also find it attractive for its low formalities and quick profits, while middlemen who buy and sell gold see it as a full-fledged industry where both good and bad outcomes are part of the trade.
But behind the economic gains lies deep frustration and inequality. Disappointed cocoa farmers and some rural chiefs argue that unfair state arrangements in cocoa pricing and mining royalties push them to back galamsey as a form of balance. The infographic, therefore, highlights that any effort to curb illegal mining must first understand these diverse motivations and the economic realities that sustain them.
