The Ghana Coalition Against Galamsey (GCAG) has expressed disappointment with President John Dramani Mahama’s comments on illegal mining (galamsey), made during his encounter with the media last Wednesday at the Jubilee House.
Among many concerns, the coalition criticised the President’s decision to withdraw police forces from anti-galamsey operations, arguing that while not perfect, the police had shown courage and helped bring the situation under control.
In a statement, the Coalition said the President’s posture did not convey the urgency required to address what it described as “unprecedented environmental terrorism”, citing the pollution of more than 60 per cent of Ghana’s water bodies, the displacement of farmers, and the destruction of forest reserves.
“His claim that the police cannot distinguish legal from illegal miners is misplaced.
We challenge the Presidency to name a single licensed small-scale mining entity that is mining responsibly on the ground,” GCAG challenged.
Intervention, impact
Though the GCAG welcomed the establishment of the National Alternative and Illegal Mining Oversight Structure (NAIMOS), it, however, questioned whether the body has been sufficiently resourced to deliver results.
The group also rejected the President’s suggestion that alternative livelihoods must be secured before miners are stopped, describing it as “an attempt to justify and embolden illegality”.
“This is not the leadership expected at a time when our nation faces environmental suicide, contaminated cocoa exports and worsening health crises that threaten both current citizens and future generations,” the statement stressed.
Also, the coalition disagreed with the government’s position, recalling that President Mahama himself, in the past, joined civil society in calling for such a measure before his election.
Unfortunately, the conditions have worsened since then.
The MD of GWCL reported the turbidity of the water at the Kwanyako Water Treatment Plant to have hit 32,000 NTU, and on the day the President • was speaking, the Central Regional Minister had endorsed the closure of the plant.
