The fight against illegal mining, also known as galamsey will never be won if Ghanaians fail to show strong commitment against it, Dr Kenneth Ashigbey, the Convenor of Ghana Coalition Against Galamsey (GCAG), has stated.
He said the government had taken Ghanaians for granted because Ghanaians by their conduct had not shown “they are angry enough.”
Speaking at the Africa Water Week 2024-Ghana, partners press engagement on galamsey yesterday, Dr Ashigbey, a foremost activist against illegal mining lamented the lack of political will on the part of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the biggest opposition, the National Democratic Congress (NDC).
For instance, he accused the two major political parties of not doing enough to tackle the galamsey menace.
Dr Ashigbey appealed to Ghanaians to support the cause of holding the government accountable for allowing illegal mining to fester despite its debilitating health consequences.
He said he was concerned that illegal mining activities had resulted in the destruction of the country’s vegetative cover, with many farmers, especially cocoa farmers selling large acreage of land to illegal miners.
He said corruption remain a threat and a contributing factor to the government’s failure to address the problem.
“Others point out that the economic benefits of small-scale mining make it an attractive option for many Ghanaians, despite the environmental and health risks, and if they are asked to stop they will be unable to feed their families and themselves.
Dr Ashigbey said Ghana needed concerted effort to address illegal mining, noting that the health of Ghanaians were at stake.
He urged the government to take steps to stop galamsey, including enforcing laws and regulations.
He said corruption and a lack of political will had been major contributing factors to the government’s failure to address the problem.
“Others point out that the economic benefits of small-scale mining make it an attractive option for many Ghanaians, despite the environmental and health risks, and if they are asked to stop they will be unable to feed their families and themselves,” he added.
BY PRECIOUS NYARKO BOAKYE
