The New Patriotic Party (NPP) Member of Parliament (MP) for Mampong, Kwaku Ampratwum-Sarpong, has called for the National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS) to be formalised through a Legislative Instrument (L.I.) to strengthen the fight against illegal mining (galamsey).
Mr Ampratwum-Sarpong, who is the Ranking Member of Parliament’s Select Committee on Lands and Natural Resources, said the legal backing for NAIMOS would clearly define its mandate, powers, structure, accountability mechanisms and operational independence, while ensuring continuity in anti-galamsey efforts across successive governments.
He made the call in a statement signed and issued in support of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana's nationwide anti-galamsey campaign.
It said that although successive governments had introduced various interventions to combat illegal mining, including Operation Vanguard, GalamStop and now NAIMOS, the challenge persisted.
It stressed that merely changing the names of anti-galamsey initiatives was not enough to tackle a problem of such magnitude.
"What Ghana needs is a sustainable institutional framework that transcends political administrations," the statement said.
It explained that a properly structured and legally backed NAIMOS would provide a more credible and permanent national response to the galamsey menace.
Political interference
The statement said the fight against illegal mining should be treated as a national enforcement and governance issue rather than a partisan political contest.
"We believe that a key step in arresting and sustainably containing galamsey is to deliberately remove it from partisan politics and treat it as a strictly national enforcement and governance issue," the statement said.
It observed that at various times, the galamsey enterprise had been enabled, protected or sustained by politically exposed persons and other influential actors.
That reality, it said, underscored the need for institutions capable of operating independently of political influence.
The statement added that the legal backing for NAIMOS would help shield anti-galamsey operations from political interference and strengthen enforcement efforts.
Campaign
The statement also welcomed the Presbyterian Church's decision to embark on a nationwide anti-galamsey campaign.
It described the church's "Red Sunday" initiative as a demonstration of the growing concern among Ghanaians over the destruction of rivers, forests and farmlands caused by illegal mining.
It commended the church for adding its voice to calls for urgent action and urged faith-based organisations, civil society groups, traditional leaders, the media and citizens to join the campaign against galamsey.
It said the increasing involvement of religious bodies highlighted the urgency of the situation and the need for renewed national commitment to protecting the country's natural resources.
