Gabby: Success Of New Measures To Fight Galamsey Depends On Ghanaians
Gabby Otchere Darko, a leading member of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) has held that victory in the fight against illegal mining in the country is premised on the will of the Ghanaian people.
He said this while reacting to the new measures put in place by the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Samuel Abu Jinapor.
The politician in a tweet averred that the only weapon to successfully put to rest illegal mining, otherwise known as galamsey, is the will of Ghanaians.
According to him, if Ghanaians earnestly wish to protect the natural resources of the country rather than make money, then the fight will end in victory.
“It takes people, mainly Ghanaian people, for this or any plan to work. If the will to mine any how for money is greater than the will to protect the environment and will same to our children what our ancestors willed to us then well…”, he tweeted.
On Thursday, Abu Jinapor announced the government has relaunched Operation Halt II, a military operation that clamps down on illegal mining on various water bodies and in forest reserves in Ghana.
In addition to that, river bodies have been declared as red zones for mining; reconnaissance and prospecting activities in forest reserves except in exceptional cases have been suspended while the manufacture, sale and use of changfan have been banned.
Also are procurement of speed boats to patrol the rivers; recruitment of river guards to support the protection of the rivers; introduction of mercury-free gold Katchas; establishment of 83 Small Scale Mining Committees in all mining districts in the country; revamping of Community Mining Schemes; and the introduction of the National Alternative Employment and Livelihood Programme, the Graphic Online reported.
Additionally, the new measures empower military personnel undertaking Operation Halt II to do so at their discretion and without interference.
For Chiefs, they will now play key roles in the issuance of mining licences.
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 “galamseyers” 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.
Last week, President Akufo-Addo met with the National House of Chiefs and Municipal, Metropolitan, District Chief Executive over the fight against illegal mining in the country which is wreaking havoc to the country’s natural resources.
In his keynote address at the opening of his meeting with the members of the National House of Chiefs, he admitted his government’s failure in the battle against illegal mining termed as “galamsey” in the country.
“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.
Source: opemsuo.com/Hajara Fuseini
