Sabotage from Within: District Teams Crashed Anti-Galamsey Drones – Frimpong-Boateng Reveals
Former Minister Frimpong-Boateng has revealed that district taskforce members deliberately sabotaged Ghana’s anti-galamsey drones. The drones, worth over $500,000, were central to surveillance efforts in curbing illegal mining. This internal sabotage underscores deeper institutional failures, fueling calls for accountability and urgent reform in the fight against environmental degradation.
In a startling revelation, Professor Kwabena Frimpong-Boateng, former Minister of Environment, Science, Technology, and Innovation, has disclosed that some district taskforce teams deliberately crashed drones provided by the government to monitor illegal mining, also known as galamsey.
According to a detailed report authored by the former minister in 2021, the drones—procured at a cost of over $500,000—were meant to bolster surveillance and support the national campaign against illegal mining, which has devastated Ghana’s forests and water bodies. Unfortunately, what was envisioned as a technological game-changer was undermined by elements within the system.
“Some district officers deliberately crashed the drones to sabotage the fight against galamsey,” the report stated.
The sabotage, according to Prof. Frimpong-Boateng, forms part of a broader pattern of systemic resistance within state institutions. He lamented the lack of genuine political will and coordination, which he believes continues to weaken the national effort to curb environmental degradation and restore affected areas.
The Impact of Galamsey
Illegal mining has led to the pollution of major rivers including the Pra, Ankobra, and Offin. In addition, forest reserves have been ravaged, with long-term consequences for biodiversity, agriculture, and climate resilience. The government’s investment in drone surveillance was expected to provide real-time data and pinpoint unauthorized operations, enabling swift enforcement responses.
Where Is Accountability?
This revelation raises pressing questions about oversight, transparency, and accountability. Why were no disciplinary actions taken? How can the government prevent internal sabotage of critical national projects? As Ghana struggles with the environmental, economic, and social costs of galamsey, such revelations demand urgent institutional reforms.
Environmental activists and concerned citizens are calling for a renewed, uncompromised national strategy—one that goes beyond optics and addresses the internal cracks sabotaging progress.
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