Small-scale mining, environmental destruction and democracy capture: the Government of Ghana’s failed ‘war on galamsey’

This article lifts a veil on democracy in Ghana to reveal how political elites have captured democratic processes and institutions to procure private wealth and political benefits. It does so by investigating why the Government of Ghana’s ‘war on galamsey’ (2017-2024) against illegal small-scale gold mining and associated environmental degradation failed so spectacularly. Our explanation focuses on the complicity and involvement of politicians and government officials in the very illegal mining practices that they purport to oppose, as evidenced by various scandals. In turn, such exposés highlight a situation of ‘democracy capture’ in which a political elite and associated business class has appropriated the benefits of state control, inclusive of enrichment from illegal mining with state protection. ‘Democracy capture’ in Ghana is intertwined with the ‘monetisation’ of electoral politics, requiring ever-increasing funds, including from illegal mining, to contest highly competitive elections. Characterising Ghana’s polity as one of ‘democracy capture’ exposes significant shortcomings in Ghana’s electoral democracy and tarnishes its reputation as a model democracy in Africa.