West Africa’s gold is enriching the world — but devastating the people who live closest to it. Illegal mining has become an environmental catastrophe, a political flashpoint and a lucrative gateway for foreign interests. And at the centre of it all is the uncomfortable truth: exploitation thrives when governance fails.

In this episode of Panel 54, Seth Bokpe, one of Ghana’s leading investigative journalists, joins Waweru Njoroge and Ndu Okoh to expose how illegal mining has reshaped Ghana and the wider region. From Chinese-backed operations to local political collaborators, Seth breaks down how corruption, weak regulation and foreign demand for gold have created a perfect storm.The conversation digs into destroyed forest reserves, polluted rivers, armed protection networks, and the staggering human cost borne by rural communities.

Seth reveals how illegal mining fuels organised crime across West Africa, from Zamfara to the Sahel, feeding instability while governments look away. He also tackles one of the hardest questions: Are Chinese companies to blame — or the local leaders enabling them? And what would real accountability and environmental justice look like if African governments had the courage to act?.

This is a story about sovereignty, exploitation and the battle for Africa’s most valuable resources — told by a journalist who has risked everything to expose the truth.

Lagos to Lamu. Cape Town to Cairo.A global perspective through an African lens.

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🎙 Recorded on location in Accra, Ghana

🎧 Produced by Commex Africa and E & C Talent