UMaT Claims “Definitive” Galamsey Solution, Proposes Sweeping Reforms for Small-Scale Mining

The University of Mines and Technology (UMaT) has declared it possesses the “definitive, homegrown solution” to Ghana’s escalating illegal mining crisis, proposing radical licensing reforms that would require every small-scale miner to employ certified engineers and safety officers before they can legally operate.

Vice Chancellor Professor Bernard Kumi-Boateng made the assertion during UMaT’s 25th Matriculation Ceremony at its Essikado Campus, where the university formally admitted 5,787 fresh undergraduate students for the 2026/2027 academic year . The ceremony also served as a platform for the Vice Chancellor to unveil a dual agenda: a hard-nosed technical intervention into the nation’s galamsey fight, and a humanitarian response to student hunger on campus.

“No Engineer, No Licence”

At the heart of Prof. Kumi-Boateng’s proposal is a fundamental restructuring of how small-scale mining licences are issued and renewed. He argued that Ghana is squandering a critical manpower resource—approximately 500 mining engineers trained annually by UMaT—while allowing unregulated excavation to ravage the environment.

“UMaT holds the definitive solution to the illegal mining menace in this country,” Prof. Kumi-Boateng told the gathering. “We possess all the requisite technology, research, and engineering principles needed to extract our mineral wealth without destroying our forests and river bodies.”

He pointed to the track record of UMaT alumni, noting that large-scale mining companies operating without destroying water bodies and lands are largely run by graduates of the institution. To replicate that success in the artisanal sector, he proposed two mandatory conditions for licence issuance: the employment of a safety officer and a mining engineer, and a prior geological survey conducted by an expert to confirm the presence of gold before any excavation begins.

“Miners must stop digging blindly,” he urged. “An expert from UMaT must first survey and confirm the presence of gold before any excavator touches the soil.”

The proposal aligns with ongoing discussions between UMaT and the Minerals Commission. Earlier in October, the two institutions began exploring a framework that would require small-scale operators to engage trained personnel as a condition for obtaining or renewing mining licences . The Vice Chancellor indicated that the government has expressed readiness to deploy UMaT trainees to help implement these solutions.

The Stakes: A Nation’s Water Under Siege

The urgency of UMaT’s intervention is underscored by recent data on the scale of environmental devastation. According to the Water Resources Commission, an estimated 60 percent of Ghana’s freshwater sources are currently degraded, largely due to illegal small-scale gold mining and the indiscriminate use of mercury . A 2024 baseline assessment by the US Geological Survey found mercury levels in the Ankobra and Pra rivers exceeding US averages by more than 55 times.

The human cost is equally severe. Professor Albert Ebo Duncan of the University of Cape Coast warned last week that empirical evidence suggests contaminated water bodies could take up to 100 years to return to a safe state, while chemically degraded farmlands might require 300 years for full ecological recovery .

Prof. Kumi-Boateng’s proposal also intersects with broader government initiatives. The Ghana Gold Board (GoldBod) is planning to roll out an Artisanal and Small-Scale Mining Formalisation and Financing Support Programme in 2027, implemented in collaboration with UMaT and the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources . That programme aims to reduce environmental degradation while improving recovery rates and safety in the sector.

A Campus Hunger Crisis

Beyond the national mining debate, the Vice Chancellor addressed a more immediate crisis affecting his students. Prof. Kumi-Boateng revealed that a significant number of students report to lectures hungry, a situation he said inevitably takes a toll on academic performance.

“No student should have to choose between an empty stomach and their education,” he said.

To address this, UMaT management will commit part of its Internally Generated Funds and solicit support from philanthropists, alumni, and corporate organisations to introduce a “One-Meal-A-Day Scheme” for needy students. The initiative forms part of a broader student support package that includes an Emergency Student Support Fund for sudden hardships and a Work-Study Scheme offering paid part-time roles in university libraries, laboratories, and offices .

The welfare interventions come as UMaT welcomes its largest and most gender-diverse cohort yet. The 5,787 fresh undergraduates include 2,193 females, representing approximately 38 percent of the intake—a marked improvement from 2010 when women constituted just over 18 percent of the undergraduate population . Total student population now stands at 19,683, including 572 postgraduate students.

A Vice Chancellor’s Mandate

Prof. Kumi-Boateng, a Professor of Geomatics Engineering, assumed office in August 2026 as UMaT’s fourth Vice Chancellor and the first alumnus to lead the institution . His investiture speech emphasised a vision to forge “the MIT of Africa,” with aggressive investment in modernising facilities and strengthening industry partnerships.

Whether his bold declaration on galamsey translates into policy remains to be seen. But the Vice Chancellor’s dual message on Friday was clear: UMaT intends to position itself not merely as a training ground for engineers, but as an indispensable partner in solving Ghana’s most intractable resource governance challenges—while ensuring its own students are fed, housed, and equipped to lead.