Ghana: Erosion of Values Fuelling Galamsey, Sanitation Crisis - Chief of Staff

What the report says

Ghana’s Chief of Staff, Julius Debrah, said the country’s worsening sanitation problems and the persistence of illegal mining known as galamsey are linked in part to a decline in traditional values and communal responsibility. He made the comments in Accra on Friday at the Clean Conference, a forum focused on Ghana’s progress toward the UN Sustainable Development Goals, according to Ghanaian Times, which was distributed by AllAfrica.

Debrah argued that older practices in Ghanaian society encouraged people to protect shared resources, keep surroundings clean and respect the environment. In his view, the weakening of those customs has contributed to pollution, environmental damage and attitudes that allow rivers, forests and other natural assets to be degraded. He said tackling galamsey would require more than enforcement measures and government action, and also depends on changing public behavior.

The conference took place amid broader concern about sanitation and whether Ghana is on track to meet its 2030 SDG commitments. It brought together government officials, diplomats and civil society groups working on environmental issues. The Ga Mantse, Nii Teiko Tsuru II, backed the call for a return to cultural practices that support cleanliness and communal responsibility, while Germany’s ambassador to Ghana, Frederik Landshoft, urged wider cooperation to protect natural resources for future generations.

More broadly, the report reflects a recurring theme in public debate in Ghana: that environmental enforcement, community norms and traditional authority may all play a role in addressing sanitation and illegal mining challenges.