Prof. Jasper Abembia Ayelazuno
The Dean of the Faculty of Communication and Media Studies at the University for Development Studies (UDS), Professor Jasper Abembia Ayelazuno, has urged the government to repeal Legislative Instrument (LI) 2462 which permits mining in forest areas.
According to him, the current efforts to combat illegal mining, commonly known as “galamsey,” are nearly futile without this repeal.
“President Mahama must repeal LI 2462, as that is at the heart of the problem. How can we claim to be fighting galamsey to protect our ecology while simultaneously passing a law that allows the president to issue permits for mining in forest reserves?” he quizzed.
In an interview with journalists during the Third World Network (TWN) Africa’s 30 Campus Conversation at the UDS campus, Prof. Ayelazuno said despite various governments allocating funds and launching initiatives to tackle galamsey, these efforts have yielded minimal, if any, significant results.
“Addressing the galamsey menace requires strong political leadership. The situation has evolved from sustainable mining to destructive mining because the political class is enabling their cronies, friends, family members, and sponsors to engage in it. Now, it has turned into mechanised, industrial galamsey. This is a political issue that must be addressed through effective political leadership,” he added.
As a co-author of the book “State Capture in the Militarized Fight Against Illegal Small-Scale Gold Mining in Ghana,” Prof. Ayelazuno expressed concern over the political capture of those in power.
“The politicians who are supposed to ensure that the fight against galamsey is carried out to the end have been compromised. They are merely pretending to combat it. Can you imagine the Ghana Army being unable to defeat armed or unarmed civilians operating at various galamsey sites?” he disclosed.
Prof. Ayelazuno supported the call for a state of emergency, saying, “I support the call for a state of emergency because we are facing a serious threat. There’s a likelihood that we are all consuming contaminated food and water, and it’s difficult to trace the sources.”
He urged citizens to rally behind civil society organisations in holding public officials accountable, particularly in the ongoing battle against illegal mining.
Madam Pauline Vande-Pallen, a representative of Third World Network Africa, called for enforcement of existing mining laws in Ghana to effectively tackle the galamsey menace.
“If the regulations were functioning effectively, many of the problems we are experiencing wouldn’t be occurring. Ensuring that our laws are upheld will address many of these issues,” she added.
FROM Eric Kombat, Tamale