I fear that the lackadaisical attitudes on galamsey will undo NDC – Barker-Vormawor

Convener of the Fix the Country Movement, Oliver Barker-Vormawor, has accused the Mahama administration of adopting a lackadaisical attitude towards the fight against illegal small-scale mining (Galamsey).

He says that the posture of the government will undo the National Democratic Congress (NDC despite the goodwill that the government enjoyed.

“I fear that for all the goodwill Dominic Ayine and Justice Sai are bringing to the Government in ORAL, the lackadaisical attitudes on Galamsey will undo NDC. Why the mixed messages? The Lands Minister needs to be more decisive,” he posted on his Facebook page.

He further announced a plan to protest on 1st May to remind Ghanaians and the government of the pressing need to fight against galamsey.

“A silent march on May Day to remind the Government that the Fight against irresponsible mining is still dear to us as Ghanaians. 1st May #SaveOurForests March?” he wrote.

Also commenting on the issue of galamsey, Convener of the Media Coalition Against Galamsey Ken Ashigbey insisted that a state of emergency should be declared in the areas affected by illegal small-scale mining.

Read Also: Galamsey fight: Wassa Damang Chief Nana Enimire Kwaw II calls for inclusion of mining experts in small-scale mining

He believed that the state of emergency will provide more impetus to stakeholders charged with the responsibility to nip the practice in the bud.

“We still demand the imposition of a state of emergency in the illegal mining fight. We also need to put in place a system where we can track all active excavators in Ghana,” he said on the KeyPoints on TV3 Saturday, March 22.

Ken Ashigbey further said that efforts should be made to unearth the real owners of the excavators brought into the country for illegal mining.

He suggested that the chassis numbers of the excavators can be used to track the real owners.

“If you take the chassis number you will be able to trace it to who owns it,” he said.

He added, “we should look for the sources of the funding for the excavators, they should trace the money…we are waiting for the Minister to publish the list of those who imported into the country then we know who are bringing it.”

The Executive Director of A Rocha, Daryl Bossu also said that a lot of the country’s forest reserves are currently under siege by illegal small-scale miners.

READ ALSO: Galamsey: A lot of our forest reserves are currently under siege – Daryl Bosu

He says the number of forests captured by the illegal miners is more than the 44 put out by the Minister of Lands and Natural Resources.

“A lot of the forests are experiencing illegal mining, eating away the forests. We have more than 44 forest reserves affected by illegal mining,” he said on the KeyPoints on TV3 Saturday, March 22.

He further noted that the present government inherited the situation. “And I sympathise with them because it gives them a lot of work to do,” he said.

 

The post I fear that the lackadaisical attitudes on galamsey will undo NDC – Barker-Vormawor first appeared on 3News.

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