Professor Prempeh Urges Application Of ‘Polluter Pays’ Principle To Restore Galamsey-Damaged Areas
Professor H. Kwasi Prempeh, Executive Director of the Ghana Centre for Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana), has called for the strict implementation of the “polluter pays principle” as a key solution to repairing environmental damage caused by illegal small-scale mining, known locally as galamsey.
Speaking on the growing environmental crisis linked to unregulated mining activities, Prof Prempeh stressed that those who profit from galamsey must be held legally and financially responsible for the harm inflicted on water bodies, forests and farmlands across the country. He argued that restoration work should not be funded from public resources alone, but from assets and funds recovered from polluters themselves.
The polluter pays principle is an environmental policy approach that requires individuals or companies responsible for pollution to bear the costs of managing and rehabilitating the damage they cause. Prof Prempeh believes that applying this principle to galamsey will both discourage destructive mining practices and provide funding for urgent reclamation and clean-up efforts.
His comments come amid ongoing concerns about the widespread degradation of Ghana’s rivers, forests, farmlands and other natural resources due to illegal mining. Critics and civil society advocates have repeatedly highlighted the long-term effects of galamsey, including polluted water supplies and destroyed ecosystems, and have called for stronger enforcement of environmental laws.
Prof Prempeh’s appeal adds to broader discussions among policymakers and environmental experts about how Ghana can better hold polluters accountable and fund the costly task of rehabilitating lands damaged by illegal mining operations.
