The Centre for Climate Change and Food Security (CCCFS) is calling on the government to ensure the full involvement of traditional authorities and community members in the fight against illegal mining — locally known as galamsey.

CCCFS believes that empowering local people with measurable targets, strong incentives, and development rewards will finally make the fight against galamsey effective, fair, and sustainable.

The organisation proposes that government assign specific anti-galamsey targets to each affected community. In return, communities that make progress or meet their targets should be rewarded with visible development benefits — including scholarships, roads, health centres, and community infrastructure.

“The fight against galamsey cannot be won from Accra. It must be owned and led by the very people whose lives depend on the rivers and forests being destroyed,” said Engr. Mahmud Mohammed-Nurudeen, Executive Director of CCCFS.

“When chiefs and citizens know their success will bring schools, water systems, and scholarships, they will rise to protect their own environment.”

CCCFS is proposing a “Reward-for-Results” system, where development projects are tied directly to a community’s anti-galamsey progress.

For example:

1. A mining-affected community that maintains zero illegal mining for one year could receive a fully equipped maternity clinic, modern hospital or modern CHPS compounds among others.
2. A traditional area that reclaims degraded land and plants trees could earn scholarships for 50 students to pursue various programmes at the University level including PhDs or a digital learning centre.
3. Youth groups that help report illegal mining and protect rivers could gain vocational skills training, seed funding for start-ups, or international travel and climate exchange opportunities.
4. Communities that prevent river pollution could receive solar-powered boreholes, clean energy systems, or support for eco-tourism ventures.
5. Farmers who avoid mining and commit to sustainable farming practices could be supported with modern irrigation systems or small-scale agro-processing units to improve local livelihoods.
6. Each community would submit a list of its priority development needs — such as roads, markets, schools, or health posts — and tie them directly to their anti-galamsey performance.
7. Once verified by the district assemblies and environmental monitors, the government or development partners would deliver the promised projects as a reward.

WHY THIS MODEL WORKS

Current approaches — dominated by arrests, military patrols, and task forces — often fail because they exclude the people most affected. CCCFS argues that a community-led model creates ownership, accountability, and pride.

“People will defend what benefits them,” Engr. Mahmud explained. “If keeping rivers clean brings scholarships and development, communities will become protectors of the land, not destroyers.”

This model draws inspiration from successful reward-based conservation programs in countries like Rwanda and Kenya, where local villages earn community projects for protecting forests, wildlife, and water bodies.

The proposed plan aligns with Ghana’s National Climate Change Policy (NCCP) and Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) under the Paris Agreement — especially the targets to reduce deforestation, protect water resources, and create green jobs. It also supports the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) — including Goal 6 (Clean Water), Goal 11 (Sustainable Communities), and Goal 15 (Life on Land).

CCCFS recommends that progress should be tracked transparently through local monitoring committees, made up of chiefs, youth groups, women leaders, assembly members, and environmental officers.

This will ensure that results are credible and rewards are distributed fairly, preventing political interference or favoritism.

EXAMPLES OF COMMUNITY REWARDS THAT CAN DRIVE CHANGE

CCCFS has identified several practical reward models to motivate lasting results:

Education Rewards:

1. Scholarships for SHS, university, or vocational students.
2. Teacher training or school infrastructures in “clean mining-free” zones.

Infrastructure Rewards:

1. Roads, clinics, police stations, and community centres in compliant districts.
2. Electrification or Wi-Fi-enabled learning hubs for high-performing communities.

Economic Empowerment Rewards:

1. Microcredit schemes for women and youth cooperatives.
2. Startup support for green businesses and sustainable farming.

Cultural Recognition:

1. Annual “Clean Community Awards” for chiefs and local heroes.
2. National honours for outstanding traditional areas.

Environmental Support:

1. Tree planting incentives — where every 1,000 trees grown equals a reward point.
2. Restoration grants for communities that reclaim mined-out lands.

“When rewards are tied to real action, not politics, people will act,” Engr. Mahmud added. “A child who gets a scholarship because her village protected a river will grow up to value that river forever.”

CCCFS believes this approach will transform Ghana’s galamsey challenge into a effective development opportunity — where environmental protection and poverty reduction go hand in hand.

“Imagine every community proudly saying, ‘We protected our land, and now we have a school,’” Engr. Mahmud said.

“That is how to build a lasting national fight — not through fear, but through hope, responsibility, and reward.”

About CCCFS

The Centre for Climate Change and Food Security (CCCFS) is a non-profit organisation based in Ghana that works to promote climate education, sustainable agriculture, and community-driven environmental protection. Through advocacy, research, and media engagement, CCCFS empowers citizens and policymakers to take practical steps toward a greener, safer, and more food-secure future.

CCCFS also runs two non-profit journalism projects — WAJESHA (West African Journalists for Environment, Science, Health & Agriculture) and GJESHA (Ghana Journalists for Environment, Science, Health & Agriculture)  — which train and mentor journalists to investigate, report, and amplify environmental and climate justice issues across Ghana and West Africa.

Since 2015, CCCFS has operated without any form of funding but continues to make measurable impact through training over 100 journalists, promoting environmental literacy, and supporting evidence-based climate research, advocacy and reporting.

For Media Enquiries:

Engr. Mahmud Mohammed-Nurudeen

Executive Director, CCCFS

Email: cccfs2015@gmail.com