Illegal miners earning GH¢70,000 a week, alternatives cannot compete – Former Security Minister

Former National Security Minister Francis Poku has warned that the government’s reliance on military and police crackdowns to curb illegal mining will fail unless the state tackles the powerful economic incentives that draw thousands of young people into galamsey.

Speaking in a television interview with TV3 on Tuesday, September 30, 2025, Mr. Poku revealed that some illegal miners earn between GH¢40,000 and GH¢70,000 in a single week—figures that dwarf earnings from most legal jobs and livelihood support programmes.

“Young people are not leaving galamsey because the economic attraction is enormous,” he explained. “Some are earning up to GH¢70,000 a week. As long as that reality exists and the alternatives cannot compete, security crackdowns will not end the practice.”

He argued that while security operations may have a role to play, they cannot form the backbone of the state’s response. “Force has its place, but it cannot be the only solution,” Mr. Poku said. “We must create alternatives that are attractive enough to draw people away from galamsey. Without that, the cycle will continue, and the problem will become even more entrenched.”

The former minister cautioned that the unchecked growth of galamsey poses a significant security risk. He pointed to the rise of armed groups around mining sites, warning that these networks could evolve into insurgent-style actors if the state fails to dismantle the economic drivers sustaining the trade.

“The economic strength behind galamsey is now so strong that we must treat it as a national security issue,” he stressed. “If we continue to rely only on force without addressing the economic side, we risk a situation that will be far more difficult to control.”