We have taken notice of a demonstration on Monday against the heightened illegal mining aka galamsey.
The protest march continued yesterday, but absent from it were persons who were associated with the demonstrations which featured prominently during the dying days of the previous regime.
The absence of such personalities make us wonder whether their action was sincere or a mere smokescreen, a partisan activity held to serve the electoral agenda of a political party and for that matter the National Democratic Congress (NDC).
We are unable to resist the conviction that such persons having been rewarded handsomely for their organisation and participation in the so-called demonstrations see no need for its continuation, more so since the NDC is now in power.
We have also taken note of the new positions taken by such political actors who previously presented themselves as neutrals.
Shouldn’t they have joined the ongoing demonstration against galamsey were they genuinely against the destruction of our forests and pollution of our water bodies?
They must be busy with their new juicy roles in various state institutions with little time for such street activities. It is unsurprising that some have already stated that the war against illegal mining cannot be won overnight. They added that it is not for the President to stop it, but one to be dealt with by relevant state institutions. It is rich that they have come to this realisation only after the change in government.
The variables differ when they are in government, and so declaring a state of emergency as they insisted when the New Patriotic Party (NPP) was at the helms should not be applied now because it would discourage investors from pitching camp here.
It is a height of insincerity to watch on as the government reneges on its promises to the people of Ghana. Whatever happened to the promise to deal with illegal mining within a few days on assuming power in the country?
When cynics refer to the NDC government as scammers, we are unable to deflect the charge because of the swiftness with which it has reneged on its promises.
When galamsey culprits are assured of freedom when the NDC comes to power, as it happened earlier, what is happening today on our water bodies and forests should not surprise us.
We have also taken notice of the training of so-called river guards whose mandate is to stop illegal mining activities on water bodies.
What soldiers and better trained security agents could not address, these Boys’ Scouts-looking youth can do better is what it all means.
We think otherwise. These young men are also a means of getting a source of employment for loyal party youth in mining areas.
We have not seen any sincerity on the part of this government to eradicate galamsey. All the charges levelled against the NPP when they were in power regarding their ineffectiveness in stopping galamsey constituted propaganda, intended only to provide electoral impetus for the NDC to come to power. Now they are there and galamsey has grown beyond its previous state under the NPP.