Musician KiDi Urges Swift Action on Illegal Mining Crisis

Afrobeats star KiDi has joined the growing chorus of Ghanaians demanding immediate action to stop illegal mining, acknowledging he doesn’t understand all the political complexities but knows enough to recognize a crisis when he sees one. Speaking on Accra-based Asempa FM, the “Touch It” hitmaker admitted he lacks expertise in the politics and technicalities surrounding galamsey, but that won’t stop him from speaking up about what he can see plainly: Ghana’s water bodies are being destroyed, and people are suffering. “We are concerned about galamsey. I don’t know the technicalities and the politics behind what is supposed to be done,” he said during the radio interview. “There are explanations but I don’t know all of that. All I know is that it is destroying water.” That straightforward assessment cuts through months of political debates, task force announcements, and legislative maneuvering. While policymakers argue over which laws to revoke or which permits to require, ordinary Ghanaians including one of the country’s most popular musicians are watching their water sources turn brown with mining sediment. KiDi’s frustration became more pointed as he continued. “I know people are not getting water to drink, so whatever, whoever needs to do what is supposed to be done needs to do it. It has been spoken about several times, but it seems to still be continuing and ruining lives.” The musician’s intervention comes at a moment when Ghana’s galamsey crisis is widely accepted to have escalated into a national emergency, with unregulated artisanal and small-scale mining causing severe environmental destruction and social instability. His celebrity status ensures the message reaches audiences who might tune out political speeches or policy announcements. And he’s not wrong about the persistent nature of the problem. Despite years of government crackdowns, task force operations, and legislative efforts, illegal mining continues across Ghana’s mining regions. Gold prices that rose globally to an all-time high close to three thousand dollars per gram in late 2024 caused a corresponding surge in illegal mining across Ghana, and in effect, more intense devastation. The timing of KiDi’s comments is particularly relevant. President John Dramani Mahama recently announced a comprehensive government initiative to curb illegal mining activities and promote sustainable mining practices, including a new permit regime for excavator imports and improved tracking of heavy-duty mining equipment. Whether these measures will succeed where previous efforts failed remains to be seen. What makes KiDi’s statement noteworthy isn’t just that another celebrity has weighed in on a national issue. It’s his willingness to speak despite admitting he doesn’t have all the answers. In Ghana’s current political climate, where every statement gets parsed for partisan bias, that kind of honesty carries weight. The musician joins other public figures who have recently spoken against galamsey, though celebrity activism on this issue has been inconsistent over the years. Some entertainers stay silent, perhaps worried about alienating fans or political patrons. Others offer vague statements that could mean anything. KiDi’s approach splitting the difference between acknowledging his limitations and demanding action anyway feels refreshingly candid. “Whatever needs to be done needs to be done and done quickly,” he emphasized, expressing what many Ghanaians are thinking but perhaps lack the platform to amplify. That urgency reflects a growing impatience with incremental approaches to what many see as an existential threat to Ghana’s water resources. Illegal small-scale mining in Ghana is estimated to cost the country more than 2.3 billion dollars each year in lost revenue and illegal smuggling. But the financial toll doesn’t capture the full picture. Polluted rivers mean communities without drinking water. Destroyed farmland means food insecurity. Mercury contamination means long term health consequences that won’t show up for years. KiDi, whose real name is Dennis Nana Dwamena, has built his career on creating feel-good music that makes people dance. His biggest hits celebrate love, relationships, and good times. This venture into environmental activism represents a different side of the artist, one that recognizes entertainment platforms come with responsibility. Whether his comments will move the needle on galamsey remains uncertain. Celebrity activism rarely solves complex problems on its own. But it does something equally important: it keeps the issue in public conversation and signals to politicians that citizens across all sectors care about what’s happening to Ghana’s environment. The musician’s concluding sentiment, whatever needs to be done needs to be done quickly, captures a sentiment increasingly common among Ghanaians who have watched the galamsey crisis worsen despite repeated government promises to address it. They’re tired of explanations about why action is difficult. They want results, and they want them now. In refusing to stay silent just because he doesn’t understand every policy detail, KiDi models a kind of citizenship that Ghana needs more of: engaged, vocal, and impatient with excuses. Sometimes the most powerful intervention isn’t a detailed policy proposal but a simple statement of observable reality. Ghana’s water is being destroyed. People are suffering. Something must be done. That’s not complicated politics. That’s just common sense.