The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, has backed the fifteen (15) recommendations he presented to former President Akufo-Addo in 2024 to combat illegal mining, commonly known as galamsey.
He stated that the current National Democratic Congress (NDC) administration is committed and confident in implementing these measures.
In 2024, Ablakwa outlined 15 strategic actions he believed the then former president could adopt to address the persistent galamsey crisis in Ghana.
In an interview on Channel One TV’s The Point of View with Bernard Avle, Ablakwa known for his vocal stance against galamsey under the New Patriotic Party (NPP), noted that although only three of the fifteen recommendations have been implemented so far, President John Mahama’s administration is making more meaningful progress than its predecessor.
“We are about eight, nine months into office, and i am confident that these things will be done. Let me be very honest with you on galamsey, i believe we can do better. And the propositions I made in the past, I still stand by them,” Ablakwa stated.
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He however stressed that about 44 forests have been reclaimed as part of efforts to protect Ghana’s forest reserves and eliminate illegal mining.
“Forty-four forests have been secured by the military. Just this morning, in a meeting, the President instructed the National Security Council of which I’m a member to deploy more troops and establish permanent camps. This is to prevent the recurring situation where soldiers leave and galamsey operators return,” he explained.
Despite progress, Ablakwa acknowledged that the fight remains difficult due to internal resistance.
“The president is working; he means well. He wants to end this menace. But clearly, there are others who are making his resolve difficult,” he noted.
Ablakwa’s 2024 anti-galamsey recommendations
In 2024, the then opposition MP, Ablakwa outlined 15 policy measures he believed could end illegal mining, popularly known as “galamsey.” These include:
1. Instruct the Attorney-General and IGP to end the harassment of anti-galamsey protesters and release all unlawfully detained activists.
2. Sack all Regional Ministers who have failed in their duty to stop galamsey as heads of Regional Security Councils.
3. Sack all MMDCEs who have been ineffective in preventing illegal mining in their jurisdictions.
4. Deploying the Ghana Armed Forces to protect rivers and forests under a politically neutral command structure.
5. Repealing L.I. 2462 and enacting new laws to criminalize political advocacy or promotion of galamsey, with strict penalties for offenders.
Ablakwa expressed optimism that the remaining proposals would be adopted, noting that some are already being piloted under President Mahama’s leadership.
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