Emmanuel Armah Kofi Buah
Illegal mining activities in the country are nowhere near ending. The illegal occupation has, to say the least, been emboldened because of a suspected backing of politicians on the corridors of power.
The impression that there is a carte blanch to the actors to continue to plunder the country’s resources irresponsibly hurts the conscience of well-meaning Ghanaians.
We recall the staged tear-shedding show by the Minister of Lands and Natural Resources Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah when the illegal mining activities peaked and he appeared helpless in stopping it. He had presented himself as one who would be able to stop it when he was an opposition actor.
Galamsey, as it is fondly called in the streets, has waxed stronger, the reason for which is not far-fetched.
Those who promoted the subject to the front burners were only pretending at the time they hit the streets. They presented themselves as neutrals only interested in the cause of Ghana’s future. Today, that has changed and they have changed their lenses and too busy to speak for the country’s interest.
Prof. Ransford Gyampo, who claimed to be Ghana’s conscience, is no longer interested in the galamsey campaign, his occupation now maritime.
The so-called government efforts to stop galamsey have taken a new dramatic dimension and even threatening national security.
Two rival actors are engaged in the so-called fight against illegal mining. Whereas one operates directly under the government, the other is an NDC appendage. Both have no-love-lost relationship, a feature which exploded last week when a clash ensued between them.
The clash has only just begun as many would follow unless government is able to muster courage to ensure order. Of course the party’s so-called galamsey fighters and their government counterparts both have their monetary interests to protect. As for power, both are government-empowered.
Their party is in government and so it is time to make the most from the country’s mineral resources, which is why they are wild and nowhere near sheathing swords.
It is appalling that a government formed after an election would be so reckless as to allow this level of indiscipline to fester.
None of the two groups is serving the best interest of the country.
We have taken note of the call on the President by small scale miners and others to institute a probe into last week’s near mayhem and muscle flexing by the actors.
We have also taken note of how the licensed small scale miners are being attacked, their gold seized and their equipment destroyed in the name of fighting galamsey.
How would the licensed small scale miners recover what they have lost to both the party    rogue galamsey fighters and their Jubilee House counterparts?
This is where our dear country has reached as we look on helplessly.