Group wants Nana Addo to take Forestry Commission’s allegations on ‘galamsey’ seriously

Environmental conservation group, Forest Watch Ghana wants President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo to investigate assertions made by the Forestry Commission that, some top officials are in support of the activities of illegal miners in the country.

This comes on the back of recent controversies surrounding some missing excavators and seized equipment belonging to the anti-illegal mining taskforce.

A press statement by the group noted that should the issue not be dealt with appropriately, it will leave doubts on the minds of the public in the president’s commitment to fighting illegal mining.

“Forest Watch Ghana, therefore, calls on the President to investigate the assertions made by the Forestry Commission. We suggest that an independent committee be set up to investigate the allegations made by the Forestry Commission and Tigereye PI in order to identify and punish the perpetrators,” the statement added.

It added that: “As a civil society organization working in the environment and natural resources sector, we believe a campaign against illegal mining is a noble cause because of the fight against illegal mining one against a major social canker of our time. It is, therefore, worrying to hear assertions of such nature from the Forestry Commission. These assertions will create doubts in the genera; public about the President’s commitment to fighting against illegal mining.”

The group cautioned that government’s disregard to the allegations brought up will also the mean efforts by stakeholders to fight illegal mining would have yielded no positive result.

“For these reasons, the President should not ignore the assertions made by the FC, Otherwise, CSOs who supported the campaign against illegal mining will feel stabbed in the back and will be disappointed if these allegations are swept under the carpet.”

So far, six persons have been granted bail after they were arrested over missing excavators.

The six, including the suspended First Vice Chairman of the New Patriotic Party in the Central Region, Ekow Ewusi, have been cautioned with the offence of stealing and abetment to stealing

Some appointees should’ve resigned over missing excavators – Mutawakilu

The Ranking Member on the Mines and Energy Committee, Adam Mutawakilu has said some government appointees should have resigned over the reported disappearance of some excavators seized from alleged illegal miners.

But Adam Mutawakilu, who is also the Member of Parliament for the Damango constituency said the development confirms his view that the government’s fight against galamsey is only a façade.

“How can an excavator vanish? By now some people should have willingly resigned…I’m so shocked that excavators could just vanish. This goes to confirm what I said in 2019 that the president’s fight against galamsey was just to remove those local people who are using hoes and cutlass and pave way for party bigwigs to take over.”

 

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