Tackling galamsey menace: Dr Bawumia calls for holistic assessment, regulation of regime
The flag bearer of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, has proposed the setting up of mining schemes in communities determined by the Geological Survey Department to have gold.
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He said this would prevent the prevailing situation where some people mined hapharzadly, leading to the destruction of the environment in some mining areas in the country.
Dr Bawumia also said that artisanal miners could be regulated and made to use gold capture machines that did not use mercury and other poisonous substances in their process.
He added that under the scheme, miners would be licensed and directed to do responsible and environmentally sustainable mining.
The Vice-President said the whole regime of small-scale mining needed a holistic assessment, including the enforcement of existing regulations.
The flag bearer was responding to concerns raised by Christian and Muslim leaders during a stakeholders’ engagement at Kpone in the Kpone-Katamanso Constituency in the Greater Accra Region last Tuesday.
Manifesto
Dr Bawumia said that the measures formed part of an elaborate plan in his manifesto to tackle the galamsey menace.
He said as part of the measures, the Geological Survey Department would also be supported to mark the locations of all gold reserves in the country.
“So once they know where the gold is and they are all registered, you come with your Ghana Card, we register you, we monitor you and we provide you with user facilities, there is no need to go elsewhere to destroy the environment.
“That is a better way for us to deal with this galamsey menace as we go forward,” Dr Bawumia added.
At the moment, he said people just “go and dig, when they do not find, they go to the next place and start digging again”.
“Galamsey is like corruption in a way, because we have always focused on solutions after the destruction has happened,” the Vice-President added.
Dr Bawumia observed that where there were no alternatives, miners would continue to play hide and seek, saying, small-scale miners could be brought into the formal sector and directed into particular areas.
Meeting
In attendance at the meeting were representatives of the National Association of Garages, nurses, traditional leaders, Muslim leaders, the clergy, dressmakers associations, beauticians and female head porters (kayayei).
Dr Bawumia had earlier paid a courtesy call on the Ashaiman Mantse.
The last stop of the day was the Krowor Constituency, where the flag bearer went round to interact with the people in Nungua, and also held a meeting with stakeholders in the constituency.
Concerns
Responding to concerns of the people such as the lack of pipe-borne water and poor road networks in the Kpone -Katamanso Constituency, Dr Bawumia assured the chiefs and people that the challenges shall be resolved.
He said that the Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL) would be sending a team to the area to assess the situation and report back to him.
The flag bearer also pledged to help fix deplorable roads in the constituency.
He reiterated his resolve to take the country to a higher level of development through digitalisation.
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Dr Bawumia said digitalisation was a key part of the global economy, adding that when you digitalise things, you get efficiency.
On health, he said Zipline drone centres had been making 100 flights daily to 2,700 hospitals across the country to distribute medicines, blood and vaccines to remote communities.
"My heart and soul is about Ghana and I want to lift Ghana to a different level," the Vice-President said, while assuring the people that he would be a president for all.
He further advised the people not to be intimidated into thinking “we cannot be like the advanced countries".
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The flag bearer, however, said what was needed was a change of mindset.