Introduction
The brazen attack on the Administrator of the Minerals Development Fund (MDF), Dr. Hannah Bissiw, the alleged complicity of security agencies, the recent increase in gold prices reaching over $3,200 per ounce (driving demand amongst miners), and the weaponization of miners, among other clear-and-present-danger activities, requires a WAR ROOM approach to tackling this menace as a country.
While past attempts to use the military and security agencies achieved limited success, the new approach to limit and regulate the tools used by these illegal miners—such as the ban on imports of excavators—is a critical “Eureka” intervention. The limitation of fuel transport to operate these excavators is the next logical step.
Media reports allege that over 1,000 new excavators are at our ports awaiting clearing, with over 3,000 additional on the high seas yet to arrive. This gives much cause for worry and illustrates a country under invasion.
However, in the twenty-first century, where robot vehicles operate on Mars, spacecraft traverse our solar system with high-resolution images of sister planets, and we have AI self-driving cars, food delivery bots that stop at zebra crossings, there must surely be technological tools and systems to more effectively monitor, manage, and control illegal mining (Galamsey) in Ghana—without risking bodily harm to officials like Hon. Dr. Bissiw.
1.0 Galamsey Requires a RESET!
In this article, I seek to explore new, technology-driven strategies combining:
- High-resolution satellite imagery
- Low-cost drones
- Artificial intelligence analysis
These tools can help turn the tide by enabling government authorities to more effectively detect, deter, and prosecute galamsey operations.
2.0 War Room Disclaimer
In using the phrase “WAR ROOM,” I am NOT calling for waging a military war operation against our fellow Ghanaians.
Rather, I advocate bringing the type of high-intensity, mission-oriented, centrally managed attention to STOP Galamsey in its tracks in the shortest possible time.
War Room Definition
I define WAR ROOM in this context as:
A tactical operations center optimized for speedy decision-making, collaboration between all stakeholders, with clear chains and lines of command and control from War Room to field operational centers, where critical decisive action can be taken to respond to the Galamsey menace.
It brings stakeholders and the right people, information, and technological tools together in one place (physically or virtually) to overcome significant challenges and seize crucial opportunities in the suppression and elimination of Galamsey in Ghana.
Central Command and Control
Our War Room should be a location that:
- Centralizes and integrates data for rapid response
- Features a Central Command Dashboard—a unified portal that fuses:
- Satellite alerts
- Satellite and drone footage and imagery
- GPS-tagged citizen reports
- Other data sources
Automated Response System: As soon as a new site is detected (by satellite or drone), the system sends automated alerts with geolocated notifications via SMS or secure app to field rapid-response security agencies.
See and Establish the Big Picture
In our War Room, the first order of business is to “See and establish the Big Picture.”
This requires engaging commercial satellites that generate high-resolution imagery of all mining sites across the country—both licensed and unlicensed, legal and illegal.
High-Resolution Satellite Capabilities
- Frequent imaging with resolutions as fine as 30 cm per pixel
- Can pinpoint:
- People in fields
- Gold washing equipment (chanfans)
- Excavators and vehicles
- Pots and pans
- Building roof areas
- Can map legal mining zones with foot-ruler accuracy
Change Detection Analysis
By comparing successive images, analysts can easily spot:
- Newly cleared lands
- Tell-tale signs of sediment plumes in rivers
- Early warning signs of illicit digging
Comprehensive Mapping
Seeing the big picture means plotting both legal and illegal mining sites and superimposing them on high-resolution satellite images. By feeding the following data into AI mapping models:
- All licensed mining sites and their boundaries
- Past galamsey sites
- Forest reserves
- Road networks
- Waterways and their proximity
Authorities gain high-level awareness of the state of mining in Ghana.
Geofencing and AI Prediction
- Virtual boundaries around legal concessions ensure any detected disturbance outside permitted zones instantly triggers investigation
- Easily identifies illegal sites for proactive patrol allocation
- AI modeling can predict where illegal activity is most likely to emerge next
Automated Detection Systems
Frequently taken high-resolution satellite images enable automatic detection (using machine-learning models) of:
- Changes in vegetation loss
- Water turbidity changes
- Other environmental indicators
When suspicious alterations appear outside licensed zones, the system flags them for urgent review by security agencies.
3.0 On-The-Ground Reconnaissance
The urgent review of alterations and infractions from the War Room to security agencies can be made more effective by deploying drones for localized reconnaissance, providing what I term “On-The-Ground Precision.”
Types of Drones
Two Key Types:
- Fixed-wing drones
- Multirotor drones (quadrotor being most popular)
Note: The effective use of sub-$1,000 quadrotor drones in the Russia-Ukraine conflict and recent reports of these drones destroying multimillion-dollar nuclear-capable aircraft illustrate the power of modern drone technology.
Drone Applications
Wide-Area Mapping (Fixed-Wing Drones)
- Cover tens of square kilometers per flight
- Produce detailed orthomosaic maps revealing:
- Excavation trenches
- Tailings piles
- Site layouts
Precision Reconnaissance (Quadcopters)
Security agencies equipped with versatile, lightweight quadcopters featuring:
- Standard and multispectral cameras
- Ability to hover over hard-to-reach riverbanks and forest edges
- Live video streaming to enforcement teams
- Direct guidance to active camps, minimizing manpower risks and collateral damage
Night Thermal Surveillance
- 24/7 operations capability
- Temperature-sensitive sensors detect:
- Active machinery after dark
- Campfires
- Operations that typically pause during daytime drone overflights
Expendable Equipment Strategy
Inspired by low-cost drone use in recent global conflicts, we must expect that drones will be targeted and may be destroyed. Government and War Room operatives should treat lost or damaged drones as part of the operational budget. The possibility of loss should not deter bold use and frequent deployment.
4.0 Enforcement and Legal Action
The perception that courts seem limited in sentencing caught illegal miners creates the notion that evidence-grade documentation is lacking to aid convictions.
Enhanced Legal Evidence
High-resolution drone images and video serve as irrefutable proof in court, strengthening prosecutions and reducing case dismissals.
5.0 Engaging Communities and Building Trust
While the War Room with all its imagery, technology, and mission-oriented stakeholders has merit in fighting illegal mining, the engagement, employment, and support of local communities around mining sites (both illegal and legal) is crucial.
Local Capacity Building
Training Programs:
- Assembly members and community leaders receive basic drone-piloting and data-analysis skills
- Creates a grassroots network of “first responders” to the War Room
Public Reporting Application
Citizen Engagement Platform:
- Citizens can upload GPS-tagged photos of suspected Galamsey sites
- Real-time natural-language processing and translation
- Credible tips received in any language
Open-Access Mapping Portal
Transparency Initiative: Publishing via social media, radio, and TV:
- Live map of legal concessions
- Active investigations
- Enforcement outcomes
This fosters transparency and dissuades would-be offenders.
6.0 Implementation Roadmap
I believe strongly that only the effective, holistic use of technology can halt the viral spread and prevent the resurgence of Galamsey.
Phase 1: Pilot Phase (3 months)
- Sign contracts with HR satellite operators
- Train image analytics teams
- Test analysis on known hotspots
- Train Trainer-of-Trainers (4+ for each active Galamsey endemic area)
Phase 2: Scale-Up (6 months)
- Set up and operationalize War Room
- Deploy analytical tools
- Provide training on all technology platforms
- Establish satellite-based communications
- Procure and train drone pilots
- Deploy drone fleets nationwide
- Integrate all regional Geographic Information System (GIS) data streams
Phase 3: Full Enforcement (9 months)
- Set up specialized units in security agencies (3 major regions: North, Middle, South)
- Formalize rapid-response protocols and rules of engagement
- Bolster legal frameworks for aerial evidence
Phase 4: Sustained Operations (Ongoing)
- Annual technology effectiveness reviews
- Regular community engagement and refresher training
- Crisis simulations independently monitored and reported
- Continuous system optimization
7.0 Conclusion
By marrying macro-scale satellite surveillance with nimble, low-cost drone reconnaissance and weaving in AI-driven alerts and community engagement—all managed from a War Room command and control center—Ghana can mount a sustained, data-driven offensive against Galamsey.
This multi-layered approach not only enhances detection and enforcement but also:
- Builds public trust
- Fortifies the country’s legal arsenal
- Creates sustainable environmental protection systems
As these tools are adopted and refined, Ghana can emerge as a regional leader in leveraging technology for environmental protection and sustainable resource management.
My two pesewas!
Leslie Mensah Tamakloe
June 2025