Editorial: Mr President, No Time To Waste In Galamsey Fight

The December 2024 general elections were largely won by the National Democratic Congress (NDC) not based on the worsened economic situation in the country alone, but also failure to end illegal mining.

In our view, it will be inaccurate for any political analyst to argue that NDC did not benefit from the inability of the previous administration to fight galamsey. It, therefore, stands to reason that perhaps, voting for the NDC was a rejoinder to the Akufo-Addo’s failure to end the menace.

In the round-up to the 2024 elections, then-leader of the opposition NDC, John Mahama, chastised the failure of the government to take decisive actions to address galamsey issues.

Mr Mahama held the view that President Akufo-Addo had the responsibility to solve the problem, which he had failed to do and that his next NDC government would put measures in place to protect our forest reserves and water bodies from being destroyed by the illegal miners.

It is almost three months since President Mahama and his NDC returned to Jubilee House to help end galamsey. Unfortunately, it appears there is no end in sight, owing to reports of continuous havoc being visited on our forests and water bodies by the illegal miners.

The latest development is in sharp contrast to the assurances given by President Mahama, which, without a doubt, touched the hearts of Ghanaians to vote for him again.

There have been reports of individuals with alleged links to the NDC who are actively mining gold illegally. These allegations, if true, defeat the accusations that only people associated with the NPP were engaged in galamsey.

It may mean that when the NPP was in power, its people were actively mining gold illegally, and since there is a change in power, the galamsey actors have also changed.

Granted that this is even the case, why then did Ghanaians, who had lost faith with the previous regime, decide that the NDC should come to continue or even do worse than what the NPP did? That cannot be the case.

Last month, the government launched a programme to help the fight by outdooring water guards who are to gather information on illegal miners in their communities for prompt action. A section of the public had already argued that it was not a sustainable way to combat the menace.

Reports of escalating galamsey in our forest reserves and water bodies are not too different from what was complained about in the erstwhile Akufo-Addo government. Cocoa production in Ghana has seen a downward trend in the last years partly due to galamsey. The lands are being destroyed to mine gold illegally. As if that is not enough, there is a threat of a water crisis in the near future thanks to galamsey.

Ghana Water Company Limited has repeatedly warned of a possible the water shortage in the country due to the pollution of water bodies by illegal miners. The activities of galamsey have increased the turbidity levels, and the company is spending more to purify water for safe drinking and usage in our homes.

It cannot be business as usual that what is promised during a campaign differs from what is delivered when in power. President Mahama stands at a crossroad now. Ghanaians expect him to leave a legacy, one of which is ending galamsey.

The Chronicle advises him (Mahama) to decline any temptation by his own people to shy away from fighting galamsey head-on. He shouldrather have his eyes, ears, and nose on the ground by relying heavily on counter intelligence.

We believe that President Mahama, as we noted earlier, criticised his opponent for failing to fight galamsey, can do better if he deals decisively with galamsey financiers when identified instead of those they arrest in the galamsey pits who may not be able to afford even the battery for the excavator.

The post Editorial: Mr President, No Time To Waste In Galamsey Fight appeared first on The Ghanaian Chronicle.

Read Full Story