Galamsey could blow up Ghana’s power supply — Ghana Gas CEO cautions

Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana National Gas Company, Judith Adjobah Blay, has warned of a looming danger that illegal mining poses to a major national gas pipeline near Akango in the Nzema East Municipality of the Western Region.

During an engagement with journalists on Friday, August 2, after touring the affected area, Madam Blay expressed grave concern about the increasing encroachment of galamsey operators near the pipeline, which transports lean gas from the Atuabo Gas Processing Plant to Kumasi.

“This pipeline carries highly flammable gas. If it blows, it won’t spare anyone—not the miners, not the nearby communities. It will be a national disaster,” she cautioned.

The gas line, constructed in 2012, travels through Esiama and Prestea to serve the middle and northern parts of the country. It is considered a backbone of Ghana’s energy generation infrastructure. However, illegal mining activities now threaten to undermine the pipeline’s structural integrity.

Madam Blay described the situation as a ticking time bomb and called for urgent, coordinated action. She said Ghana Gas has already begun steps to secure the pipeline corridor and is working closely with national security, traditional authorities, and local government officials.

“This is not just Ghana Gas’s fight. It’s a national fight. We’re urging all stakeholders—chiefs, youth groups, assembly members, and residents—to help us protect this lifeline,” she stressed.

She warned that any damage to the pipeline could disrupt electricity supply across several regions, aside from the environmental and human safety risks it poses.

Ghana Gas, she emphasized, maintains a strict zero-tolerance policy on illegal activities around its infrastructure and will not hesitate to trigger legal and security actions against any individuals or groups found culpable.

The rise in galamsey operations across the country has drawn growing public concern, but the encroachment on critical energy infrastructure, Madam Blay noted, must be treated as a matter of national urgency.