Media Coalition Against Galamsey Launches 3rd Phase Fight

By Lawrence Markwei

The Media Coalition Against Galamsey yesterday launched the 3rd phase of their fight against illegal mining in the country with the engagement of a theatre group (Globe Productions) to stage plays in galamsey areas.

The play, entitled "Saints and Sinners" which depicted the ills of society as a result of galamsey operations was to be used as a medium of changing the mindset of people in such communities against illegal mining.

Disclosing their new strategy at a media briefing, Ken Ashigbey, the Converner of the Coalition said, Tarkwa, Obuasi and Kyebi have been earmarked to host the play being sponsored by Star Ghana, as part of their support for the Coalition.

He said free invites would be given through identifiable business and social groups while community members would be given free tickets through radio phone-ins to ensure that the venues were not inundated with over whelming audience.

Mr Ashigbey said in order for the play to achievement maximum exposure, edited versions would be telecast on some of the television networks as well as social media platforms to project moral lessons from the play.

He said during subsequent Town Hall meetings on galamsey, the play would become one of the permanent features which would be highlighted to send the message on the havoc galamsey operations were causing.

Touching on previous engagements of the galamsey, Mr Ashigbey said the Coalition advocacy programmes had paid good dividend by not only creating awareness about the menace to society but also helped to stall the nefarious activities of the perpetrators.

He explained that the first phase of its advocacy programmes focused on stopping the destruction, push for reclamation of the affected lands, liaise with affected organisations to reduce the water turbidity and disclose the identity of the "big fishes" behind the scenes causing the harm.

Mr Ashigbey said, it was after that the Coalition shifted into another gear with the second phase by engaging affected communities during Town Hall meetings, adding that, all the interventions were able to meet target and chalked success against the illegal mining fight.

Ms Carol Annang, the Co-Convener of the Coalition, said despite the success, there had been few challenges such as successful arrest and prosecution of perpetrators which seemed woefully inadequate to deter offenders.

She said the perpetrators had also changed their modus operandi by shifting their nefarious activities into the night which called for a new pragmatic approach to address the new strategy.

"However, we want to give the assurance that we will not give up as a results of few challenges confronting the fight against now," she said.

Mr Latif Abubakar, the Director of the play said they were already in the communities engaging the people in order for them to fully participate in the event, adding both corporate bodies and community leaders have had interactions with the group.

He said the play which would, take about one hour 45 minutes would be a thriller to imprint memorable scenes on the mindset of the people in order to change their attitude and support the fight against illegal mining.

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