Minerals Dev't Fund backs “Polluter Pays” approach to illegal mining; publishes first research in an international journal

The Minerals Development Fund (MDF) has published its first research paper in an international journal, Resources Policy. The milestone establishes the Fund as a research institution as well as a development agency.

The paper, “Leveraging the Polluter Pays Principle to Address Ecosystem Degradation from Unlawful Mining in Ghana,” appears in Volume 121 (2026), Article 106029. It offers an evidence-based framework for tackling the environmental damage caused by unlawful artisanal and marginal-scale mining, commonly called galamsey.

MDF-led research

The study was undertaken under the leadership of the MDF Administrator, Dr. Hanna Louisa Bisiw-Kotei, and sponsored by the Fund. Dr. Bisiw-Kotei provided funding acquisition, project administration, resources, supervision and editorial review. She co-authored the paper with Frank Hayford, Christian Kofi Anthonio, Noah Appiah Kubi and Jil-Nathaniel Addo.

Members of the MDF’s Research Department, including Anita Donkor, Juliana Sulemana and Victor Kadosh Astyor, contributed to the work, as did the Fund’s Zonal Coordinators.

The case for “polluter pays”

Galamsey remains one of the gravest threats to Ghana’s environment. The study documents river siltation, water pollution, soil nutrient depletion, deforestation, loss of arable land and biodiversity decline, along with higher costs for water treatment and ecosystem restoration.

The research argues that the Polluter Pays Principle (PPP) should guide the national response, so that those responsible bear the cost of repairing the damage instead of communities, taxpayers and future generations.

The findings draw on a field study of 330 respondents. They include 300 unlawful miners from 10 communities across the Ashanti, Ahafo, Bono and Eastern Regions, plus government agencies and a mining association. The researchers used interviews, questionnaires, direct observation and a targeted literature review.

Three recommendations

Stronger laws and enforcement. The PPP’s core principles should be built into enforceable national laws. Accountability should extend, where the law establishes responsibility, beyond those directly involved to actors who facilitate or benefit from unlawful mining.

Better institutional coordination. The study calls for closer collaboration among regulators, law enforcement, mining associations, traditional authorities and communities, supported by integrated data-sharing systems. It also stresses the need to confront corruption and collusion.

Modern technology. Satellite imagery, drones, GPS and geospatial analysis can help trace unlawful operations. The researchers say this evidence should be combined with physical inspections, ownership and licensing records, witness testimony and proper legal procedures.

From punishment to restoration

A key contribution of the paper is its link between enforcement and restoration. The authors argue that fighting galamsey should go beyond arrests and penalties to ensure damaged ecosystems are actually restored.

They propose transparent, audited management of restoration funds, and point to confiscated assets and machinery and special levies as possible financing sources. They also consider cases where polluters cannot be identified or lack the means to pay.

The researchers suggest that Ghana’s experience could inform other Sub-Saharan African countries facing similar challenges.

A landmark for the MDF

The publication reinforces the MDF’s evolving role as an institution committed to evidence-based solutions for mining communities. It reflects the vision of its leadership to contribute to national policy through research and innovation, and it complements the Fund’s broader mandate to address the developmental and environmental impacts of mining.

As Ghana continues to debate how to combat illegal mining and restore degraded lands and water bodies, the study’s message is clear: environmental destruction must carry consequences, and polluters must not pass the cost to communities and the Ghanaian taxpayer.