Give security agencies free hand to combat galamsey — Dr Manteaw

The Co-Chair of the Ghana Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (GHEITI), Dr Steve Manteaw, has urged the government to allow or give the security agencies free space to fight illegal mining, popularly known as "galamsey".

He said if the President gave his word and called on the security services to intervene without any interference, an effective work could be done.

"If President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo issues a disclaimer of not involving himself in the work of the security agencies and allowing them the free space to operate, we will win the fight against galamsey.

"If someone is arrested and no political actor calls the police or military to plead, then I believe we will make substantial progress in the fight against galamsey," he said.

Dr Manteaw was speaking at the Bono Regional stakeholder engagement on the dissemination of GHEITI 2021/2022 mining, oil and gas sector reports and the Maiden 2020 Artisanal and Small-Scale Mining (ASM) report in Sunyani last Wednesday.

Engagement 

Organised by the Ministry of Finance and GHEITI Secretariat, the engagement was aimed at providing the stakeholders with a comprehensive overview of the latest findings, recommendations and progress within the sectors.

It offered them the platform to discuss the findings, provide feedback and explore ways to address the findings and recommendations presented in the reports.

Pretence, action 

Dr Manteaw said the country was only pretending to be fighting galamsey, explaining that the people who had the power and authority to halt galamsey were involved in the act.

"Those who have the power and authority to deal with the problem are themselves the perpetrators, benefitting from the illegalities," he said.

Dr Manteaw commended the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, for destooling the three chiefs who were involved in galamsey, saying, "Otumfuo has shown the way."

He, however, was unhappy that the state security had not arrested the suspects to face the law, stating: "If they are imprisoned, all other chiefs who are involved in illegal mining will stop.

"The same goes for politically exposed persons. If we can set an example of a district chief executive (DCE) or a minister whose alleged involvement in galamsey is investigated and where evidence confirms his involvement, and that duty bearer is put before court and imprisoned, all DCEs and ministers who are involved will stop the practice," he said.

That scenario, Dr Manteaw said, could only happen, if the President gave a directive. 

The GHEITI Co-Chair expressed grave concern about the wanton destruction of water bodies and forest reserves by the illegal miners, who were ignoring the impact of their actions.

"I'm worried about the destruction of water bodies, farmlands and vegetation being caused by the galamseyers. It is worrying that a lot of the galamsey activities are taking place in the open, water bodies and forest reserves," he said.

Development potential

The Bono Regional Minister, Justina Owusu-Banahene, said the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) continued to be a global benchmark for assessing how well natural resource-dependent economies were doing in unleashing the development potential of resource extraction. 

She said the initiative was hinged on the principles of transparency, accountability and participation of citizens in decisions around resource governance, including spending options. 

Ms Owusu-Banahene said the mining, oil and gas sectors played a vital role in the country's economy.

"Given the vast contribution the mining, oil and gas sectors play in the Ghanaian economy, there has been a conscious effort by the government to create avenues for more transparent and judicious management of revenues from these sectors to safeguard them and benefit the citizens," she said.

Writer's email: biiya.ali@graphic.com.gh