It Has Not Been Easy; Akufo Addo On Fight Against Galamsey

The President of Ghana, H.E Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has admitted his government’s failure in the battle against illegal mining termed as “galamsey” in the country.

In his keynote address at the opening of his meeting with the members of the National House of Chiefs, he noted that the fight nearly cost him his position as president during the 2020 elections.

“It has not been easy, it has not been popular and we have not got the immediate results that I was looking for. Indeed in the last elections of 2020, my stance on the issue cost my party and I significant losses in the mining communities.”

The government’s failure at this, he said, is despite numerous initiatives it has introduced.

“We have tried many initiatives including that of the Community Mining Scheme, and the establishment of a new legal regime for dealing with the perpetrators of this phenomenon which has imposed severe sanctions on those-Ghanaians and foreigners-convicted of illegal mining.”

“Still we have not won the fight”, he submitted.

He believes that victory over illegal mining will require the help of traditional authorities and Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executive (MMDCEs) of communities where mining takes place.

One of the ways he intends to fight the menace now is to make it a national battle.

“There are many requests I intend to make of you in the close door session of our meeting, but one of the most significant, which I have to state now is to seek your assistance to take partisan political interest out of the fight against galamsey. It can only succeed if it is truly a national battle which no one seeks to exploit for political gain as we saw in the last election”

He, however, reiterated that his government is not against mining in the country.

The President is holding a meeting with the National House of Chiefs today, October 5, 2022, in the Ashanti Region to discuss the menace of illegal mining in the country.

He is expected to later meet with MMDCEs on the same issue.

The conversation about illegal mining in the country has returned once again.

The menace is threatening not just the country’s forest reserves and water bodies but also the country’s cash crops- cocoa and coffee.

Reports indicate that some farmers have already begun selling off their cocoa farms to galamseyer in rural areas.

Samples of water from some of the river bodies in Ghana fetched by JoyNews showed massive pollution of the country’s waters.

River Tano, Nwui, Offin, Bonsa, Bia, Ankobra, Amoya, Afu Afu and Totoa streams have changed colours according to the samples fetched by JoyNews.

Illegal mining on the country’s water bodies seems to be on the ascendency despite the government’s various initiatives like Operation Halt which is clamping down on galamsey across the country.

Pressure group Occupy Ghana has called on the President to declare a state of emergency at all mining sites in Ghana, a call that has garnered much support from some industry players.

Last month, the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources engaged stakeholders including traditional authorities, MMDCs and Regional Ministers over illegal mining whose fight never seemed to come to an end.

Source: opemsuo.com/Hajara Fuseini