I'll wage a 'ruthless war' against galamsey when I'm elected as President - Mahama

Former President John Dramani Mahama, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) presidential candidate for Election 2024 has said he will wage a "ruthless war" against galamsey [illegal mining] while promoting responsible small-scale mining practices when he is elected as President on December 7, 2024.

Speaking to the clergy in Accra on Tuesday [Oct 1, 2024], Mr Mahama outlined his plan aimed at environmental reclamation and tighter mining regulations to address the devastation caused by illegal small-scale mining, popularly known as galamsey [a corrupted word for gather and sell].

He said under his plan, an audit of all mining concessions will be conducted to identify the beneficial owners, and these owners will be held accountable for illegal mining activities within their concession areas. 

His strategy will also prohibit new mining leases in forest reserves and tighten regulations on mining in water bodies, imposing harsher penalties on offenders through amendments to the Minerals and Mining Law.

Mr Mahama said his administration would introduce the "Tree for Life and Blue Water" initiative to reclaim polluted water bodies and degraded lands.

He said all public officials, including politicians, would be prohibited from participating in mining activities, whether legal or illegal.

"We will compel small-scale miners to undertake skills training in modern responsible methods and land reclamation techniques as part of their operations to minimise environmental harm," Mahama noted.

Beyond tackling mining issues, Mr Mahama highlighted his plans to improve the implementation of the Free Senior High School (SHS) programme.

He proposed a dedicated funding source for the programme, scrapping the double-track system, and decentralising the procurement of food, thereby ensuring quality education for all.