The Chief Executive Officer of the Petroleum Hub Development Corporation, Dr. Anthony Aubynn, has voiced deep concerns about the pervasive involvement of politicians in illegal mining activities, commonly known as ‘galamsey,’ which he identifies as a major impediment to effectively tackling the issue.
Speaking on Channel One TV’s The Point of View on Monday, April 28, Dr. Aubynn emphasized that political interference significantly undermines efforts to curb illegal mining, as attempts to hold perpetrators accountable are often thwarted when individuals in influential political positions are implicated.
Dr. Aubynn highlighted the long-standing nature of this problem, stating, “The worst of it all, and I have said and written about it in 2009, so it’s not a new thing, the worst of it all is the involvement of politicians in this business. It becomes so difficult to resolve when you have politicians, some of whom are in very leading positions, involved. You can’t successfully push them out,”.
As a specific example, Dr. Aubynn cited former President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo’s public defense of Akonta Mining, a company that faced accusations of engaging in illegal mining, despite what Dr. Aubynn suggests was evidence to the contrary.
“That is how come, I think the former President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo at one point in time said Akonta Mining was not doing anything illegal, even though the facts spoke otherwise,” he stated.
Despite the challenges posed by political involvement, Dr. Aubynn acknowledged that the current government is making progress in addressing the galamsey issue.
He cautioned against premature judgment of the government’s efforts, noting, “I think the government is on course in the area of small-scale mining, even if you think that it has not been as fast as you expect. This problem has been age-old. It’s been here for a very long time, so four months is certainly too short a period for you to say that it [Mahama government] succeeded in addressing the challenge or not,”.
Dr. Aubynn also expressed strong support for the repeal of LI 2462, criticizing the law for its provision allowing mining activities within forest reserves.
“The LI 2462, I support the idea that it should be repealed. It should be completely repealed, and maybe a new law brought in. But if you read the law very carefully and compare it with the policy that existed before then, the danger associated with that law is the fact that it allows the minister to allow for mining in the forests,” he explained.
He clarified that while earlier policies did not entirely prohibit mining in forest areas, they imposed significant restrictions, making it an arduous undertaking.
“In the old policies, it didn’t completely ban mining in the forests, but it made it such a difficult enterprise. There were only a few companies that had the concessions to mine in the forests,” he added.
The post Galamsey crisis: Political interference blocks solutions – Petroleum Hub CEO first appeared on 3News.
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