Galamsey: The Poor Man’s Battle and the Politicians' Shame

The fight against galamsey is no longer just an environmental concern, it is a struggle for justice, survival, and the soul of our nation. And it is the poor, not the rich, who must lead this fight.

When polluted rivers turn brown and once-fertile lands become barren, the rich simply escape. They can afford treatment abroad when poisoned water destroys their health. They can import clean water when local streams are filled with mercury and cyanide. But the poor have nowhere to run. They must drink what they have, eat what they grow, and live with the consequences of a system that has failed them for no fault of theirs.

Let’s be honest, galamsey is thriving because government after government has failed to provide meaningful and permanent jobs for the youth. When a young graduate spends years studying only to end up jobless, hope fades. When political connections and nepotism decide who gets employed instead of merit, despair sets in.

How can we convince the youth that education is worth it when they see their educated brothers and sisters walking the streets, certificates in hand, while the well-connected enjoy the jobs meant for the qualified? The system must be fixed before we can fix the menace of galamasey.

This broken system is what pushes many young people into galamsey. They see quick money as better than a lifetime of waiting for opportunities that never come. And who can blame them? The government has made education look like a waste of time and money for those without “big men” behind them.

But the truth is that galamsey offers no real future. It is a false promise, a quick road to destruction. It destroys our rivers, poisons our food, and leaves our communities in poverty once the gold is gone. When the last drop of clean water disappears, the rich will fly out, but the poor will remain to suffer the consequences.

If our leaders are serious about ending galamsey, they must do more than send soldiers, burn excavators, and other items that could be seized and used by the state. They must create jobs, restore faith in education, and end the shameful culture of nepotism and political favouritism in public sector recruitment.

Until then, the fight against galamsey will remain a mere political slogan. The poor will continue to pay the price for the greed and neglect of those in power.

It’s time for the poor and the youth to rise, not with weapons, but with courage, unity, and voice. We must defend our rivers, our lands, and our future. For if we lose them, no amount of gold will ever bring them back.

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