The renewed debate about illegal mining, otherwise known as galamsey, is understandable in an election year, if not “absurd nonsense.”
In 2020, the NDC led by John Mahama, backed by their allies in the media, academia and civil society, focused on illegal mining in its attempt to cause disaffection for the Akufo-Addo administration. Galamsey activities have caused widespread devastation to our rivers and forests, thereby derailing livelihoods and the health of the people.
Mining is part of the mainstay of the economy, from pre-colonial days. Our compatriots who experienced life in rural communities know about small scale mining because most lands in those areas have “scars” of mining. These mining pits, sometimes swallowed unsuspecting people roaming the forests, while the youth in those areas normally “guided” thieves to those pits to face “natural justice.”
While the menace of illegal mining continues to pose existential challenge to our future, some of our leaders have decided to politicise this natural behaviour by a section of the society to eke a living.
It is regrettable that those who appear to be concerned about galamsey, only do so during election year, making it difficult for a true national action to demolish the galamsey gangs.
As the government steps up its fight against the “galamseyers”, the perpetrators have also found other means to survive, including the use of arms. The challenge has also grown beyond the local and even national security, with the involvement of Chinese and other West African nationals in the illegal mining activities.
A few years ago, our compatriots engaged in illegal mining did not operate near water bodies, but our friends from China decided to introduce what is now known as “changfan” to contaminate our water resources. We understand the sentiments of those expressing disappointment in the NPP government’s commitment to the fight against the galamsey menace.
The fight cannot succeed if it remains the sole responsibility of the government, while those who claim they have been scandalised by the alleged involvement of Akufo-Addo’s men in galamsey activities, have not been able to prescribe alternatives to the state’s fight to stop galamsey.
These so-called civil society groups, strangely, have joined the NDC chorus of making galamsey a campaign agenda. These elements include some of the country’s best brains but they are hiding behind their independence to do the bidding of the NDC.
We have not made statements without the basis of our arguments. We have taken notice of the Media Coalition Against Galamsey led by its convenor, Ken Ashigbey, Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) led by its head, dyed-in-the-wool NDC man, Joseph Whittal, and the joke of the century, the call by UTAG, led by another NDC ally, Professor Ransford Gyampo, for a nationwide strike after September 30 should the government fail to ban mining of gold and other minerals in forest reserves, farms and rivers.
We should all be concerned about our environment, taking into account the warning by the World Health Organisation (WHO) that if care is not taken, the next world war will be fought over water, and for which reason we cannot take the alert by these citizens of the country for granted.
Our concern, however, stems from the fact that, Ken Ashigbey, Ransford Gyampo, Joseph Whittal and Professor Stephen Adei, are behaving like they have been diagnosed of suffering from short memories and have ignored what John Mahama and his NDC did in mining areas, especially in 2020 during the electioneering.
We shall help them by referencing what Tony Aubyn, Kwaku Boahen and John Mahama said about allowing “galamseyers” to do their work without hindrance prior to Election 2020.
We cannot show videos here but we can provide links to videos of these characters, including John Mahama telling the people not to worry because if given the mandate in 2020, he would release those jailed for their involvement in illegal mining.