President John Dramani Mahama has acknowledged that depressed producer prices for cocoa have compelled some Ghanaian farmers to abandon their farms for illegal mining activities, commonly known as galamsey.
Speaking at a meeting with Organised Labour at the Jubilee House on Tuesday, March 17, 2026, the President conceded that the cocoa sector’s challenges have contributed significantly to the proliferation of illegal mining across the country.
“The low cocoa price the farmers received forced some of them to abandon cocoa farming for gold mining,” President Mahama stated.
He noted that Ghana’s cocoa industry has experienced periodic crises in recent years, resulting in reduced incomes for farmers and creating conditions that make illegal mining an attractive alternative.
To address this worrying trend, the President announced that his administration is developing comprehensive interventions to restore viability to the cocoa sector and discourage farmers from abandoning their crops.
“Among other things, the government is introducing a pricing mechanism to ensure farmers receive up to 70% of the global cocoa price,” Mr. Mahama revealed.
Political Interference Hindering Anti-Galamsey Fight
Turning his attention to the broader battle against illegal mining, President Mahama made startling revelations about the involvement of influential personalities in the very activities his government is trying to curb.
According to the President, the fight against galamsey is being undermined by the complicity of some politicians, traditional leaders, and other prominent individuals who are actively involved in the illicit trade.
“We are not winning the fight against illegal mining because of some politicians, traditional leaders and other prominent people involved in the activities,” he admitted.
The President explained that the influence wielded by these individuals has created avenues for mining to occur even in protected forest reserves, significantly compromising enforcement efforts.
Despite these challenges, Mr. Mahama assured Ghanaians that his government remains committed to intensifying the campaign against illegal mining operations nationwide.
“We are not going to sleep because of the challenges. We are working hard to get the necessary resources and monitoring equipment to empower anti-galamsey operations,” he pledged.
The President’s candid admission comes amid growing public concern over the devastating environmental impact of illegal mining on water bodies and forest reserves, and signals a renewed commitment to tackling both the symptoms and root causes of the galamsey menace.
