French training ignites Ghana galamsey debate

Jon Offei-Ansah analyses how French military training tied to Ghana’s fight against galamsey has triggered a wider debate about sovereignty, security partnerships and Africa’s post-colonial defence relationships

Keypoints:

• French instructors are training Ghanaian soldiers in jungle warfare linked to anti-galamsey operations
• Critics say the move raises sovereignty concerns and echoes colonial dependence
• Government insists the cooperation is routine and does not compromise Ghana’s independence

A TRAINING programme involving French military instructors and Ghanaian soldiers has ignited debate about sovereignty, foreign influence and the long-running crisis of illegal mining known locally as galamsey.

The programme, taking place at the Jungle Warfare School at Seth Anthony Barracks in Achiase, involves French instructors training members of the Ghana Armed Forces in forest warfare techniques designed for operations in dense terrain where illegal mining activities often occur.

Why this matters

The controversy reflects a wider tension unfolding across West Africa. As coastal states such as Ghana strengthen security cooperation with international partners to confront illegal mining and rising regional instability, critics warn that such partnerships risk reviving uncomfortable memories of foreign influence over African resources and security policy.

Officials say the exercises include reconnaissance drills, tactical movement through jungle environments and simulated operations aimed at preparing soldiers for missions in forest reserves where illegal mining camps are frequently hidden.

Yet the collaboration has sparked political criticism, reflecting wider concerns about the involvement of former colonial powers in African security affairs.

France’s experience fighting illegal mining

Part of the rationale for involving French instructors lies in France’s experience combating illegal gold mining in French Guiana, a South American territory covered by dense Amazon rainforest.

For more than a decade, French security forces have conducted operations against clandestine mining networks operating deep in the jungle. These missions are carried out under Operation Harpie, which involves the French military, gendarmerie and police targeting illegal mining camps hidden in remote rainforest areas.

The operations focus on dismantling clandestine mining sites, destroying equipment and intercepting supply routes used by miners operating outside state control.

Because these activities take place in dense rainforest environments, French forces have developed specialised expertise in jungle reconnaissance, patrol tactics and rapid deployment in forest terrain.

Analysts say that operational experience in French Guiana may explain why French instructors were considered useful in training Ghanaian soldiers preparing for similar terrain in Ghana’s forest reserves.

Supporters of the programme therefore argue that the collaboration is less about foreign intervention and more about transferring technical expertise developed in comparable environments.

Pratt questions foreign role

Despite that explanation, the programme has drawn criticism from some commentators.

Eminent Ghanaian political commentator Kwesi Pratt Jnr questioned the rationale behind the collaboration in a post on X.

‘News of French soldiers pouring into Ghana to organise simulations on how to fight galamsey is most shocking,’ Pratt wrote.

He questioned whether foreign soldiers have meaningful expertise in addressing Ghana’s illegal mining crisis.

‘What do French soldiers know about galamsey?’ he asked.

Pratt also warned that relying on foreign military involvement risks reinforcing perceptions that African countries remain dependent on their former colonial powers.

‘Why do we create the impression that we cannot do anything for ourselves without the involvement of those who colonised us?’ he wrote.

For Pratt, the issue reflects broader concerns about sovereignty and control over natural resources.

‘The armies of the ex-colonisers have only one objective, which is to protect the legacies of their countries,’ he argued.

He added that African states must prioritise protecting sovereignty over their resources.

‘Independent African countries must protect national sovereignty expressed as the right to own our resources and exploit them for the benefit of our people,’ Pratt said.

Government defends the training

The Ghanaian government has rejected suggestions that the training undermines national sovereignty.

Government Communications Minister Felix Kwakye Ofosu said cooperation between the Ghanaian military and international partners is longstanding.

‘The Ghana Armed Forces has a long history of collaboration and joint training exercises with the militaries of friendly nations so this training exercise is nothing out of the ordinary,’ he told Africa Briefing.

He stressed that the collaboration does not affect Ghana’s independence or operational control.

‘It does not in any way compromise Ghana’s sovereignty in any way, shape or form,’ Ofosu added.

Officials say the programme is designed to strengthen operational capacity rather than introduce foreign troops into Ghana’s domestic enforcement activities.

Galamsey and the security dimension

Illegal mining has evolved into one of Ghana’s most complex national challenges.

Originally viewed largely as an environmental issue, galamsey has grown into a sprawling network of operations that has caused severe ecological damage and economic disruption.

Major rivers including the Pra, Ankobra and Birim have been heavily polluted by mercury and other chemicals used in gold extraction, threatening water supplies for millions of people.

Large areas of forest reserves have also been destroyed as miners clear land to access gold deposits.

But the crisis has also taken on a security dimension.

Authorities say some illegal mining operations are linked to organised criminal networks and are sometimes protected by armed groups that resist enforcement efforts.

Because many of these sites are located deep inside forest reserves, the military has increasingly been called upon to support law enforcement agencies during operations aimed at dismantling illegal mining camps.

Improving the ability of soldiers to operate effectively in jungle terrain has therefore become an operational priority.

Regional geopolitics complicate perceptions

The controversy surrounding the training programme also reflects wider geopolitical tensions across West Africa.

France’s military role in the region has come under intense scrutiny in recent years following its withdrawal from several Sahel countries, including Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger, after military coups and rising anti-French sentiment.

The end of France’s counterterrorism operations in the Sahel marked a significant shift in regional security dynamics.

Across parts of West Africa, critics increasingly question whether foreign military involvement serves the interests of African states or primarily reflects the strategic priorities of external powers.

Against this backdrop, even limited military cooperation involving France now attracts heightened public scrutiny.

Ghana’s security calculations

For Ghana, however, the decision to cooperate with foreign partners reflects practical security concerns.

The country lies just south of the Sahel, where extremist violence has expanded dramatically over the past decade. Armed groups operating in Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger have destabilised large parts of the region, raising fears that the violence could spread southward into coastal West African states.

Strengthening military preparedness has therefore become a priority.

Training partnerships with international allies are seen as one way to enhance operational capabilities while maintaining national control over security operations.

Officials emphasise that Ghanaian forces remain fully responsible for enforcement decisions and operational command.

A debate about sovereignty and security

Ultimately, the debate surrounding the French training programme highlights a broader tension facing many African countries.

On one hand, international cooperation can help strengthen security capacity and provide access to specialised expertise needed to confront complex challenges such as illegal mining and organised crime.

On the other hand, historical memories of colonial domination continue to shape public perceptions of foreign involvement in national affairs.

For critics such as Pratt, the key concern is whether such partnerships risk undermining the principle of African self-reliance and control over natural resources.

For supporters of the programme, the priority is ensuring that Ghana has the expertise needed to protect its environment, its forests and its gold sector from illegal exploitation.

The debate therefore reflects not only Ghana’s struggle against galamsey but also a wider question confronting African governments: how to balance international cooperation with the enduring demand for sovereignty over their own resources and security policies.