Akufo-Addo and His Government Have Failed Ghana in the Fight Against ‘Galamsey’ – Kojo Yankah

Kojo Yankah, Founder of the Pan African Heritage Museum, has questioned what President Akufo-Addo and his government can do between now and the December 7, 2024 elections to combat the ongoing problem of illegal small-scale mining, known as “galamsey.”

According to him, the Akufo-Addo-led government has failed to protect the country’s environment and natural resources.

In a Facebook post, Mr Yankah also questioned why the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Illegal Mining and security agencies did not involve the National House of Chiefs and NGOs in the fight against the galamsey menace.

”l feel amused when l see intellectuals trying to play a balancing game on matters which demand direct criticism. We are talking Leadership here. Galamsey reared its head before President Mahama lost the 2016 Elections. Come President Akufo Addo who gave so much hope by putting his Presidency on the line. Some of us loved it because a grave situation like Galamsey could not, and cannot, be controlled by an Association of Professional Bodies (or any CSO). The President rightly appointed an  Inter-Ministerial Committee backed by ALL the Security Agencies – the most powerful instrument to use in handling such a critical issue,” the founder of the African University College of Communication said.

Mr Yankah noted that the government has all the necessary resources and authority to address the galamsey crisis but has failed to take decisive action. He called for a comprehensive government response, including the release of the report by Prof. Frimpong-Boateng, and warned that Ghana’s water and forest reserves are in crisis.

“One immediate top headline news that came out of the exercise was the arrest of a Chinese woman, Aisha. Senior Minister Osafo Maafo is on record to have said that she was released for ‘some diplomatic reasons’ (my own words). This gave courage to some big shots to join the game. We are still to know the full reason for Major Mahama’s brutal murder. Who has been put before the court to restrain the other offenders? Who is behind those criminals causing such levels of devastation? We are still waiting for Government action on the comprehensive report produced by the eminent reputable scientist/doctor Professor Frimpong Boateng.”

“What prevented the Inter-ministerial committee and the security agencies from co-opting the National House of Chiefs and NGOs in the exercise? What was stopping the government from holding bipartisan town hall meetings to seek support for the exercise? At least, now we know that Ghana Water Company has officially announced that Ghana is facing a Water Crisis. The Forestry Commission has confirmed that our Forest has been badly depleted. We know for a fact that a deceased party boss willed part of Ghana’s forestry reserves to his family members. The Government (any government) has all the necessary power and tools at its disposal to arrest and deal with any person or persons, whatever their affiliations, who participated in this heinous crime of endangering the economy and future of Ghana. Dancing around the subject and trying to justify or parry the blame is itself very hypocritical.”

Mr. Yankah also stated that the government has let the nation down in protecting its natural resources, and an address on the state of these resources is long overdue. He stressed that all governments should be held accountable for their promises and actions to end the environmental devastation caused by galamsey.

“I wonder what President Akufo Addo and his government can do between now and the Elections, but l believe that the President and his government have let the nation down, with respect to protecting the nation’s environment and natural resources, and an address on the state of the nation’s resources is due. The Truth must be told. That we fail to see this as one of the reasons for the country’s shabby economy is nothing short of intellectual dishonesty. All Governments should be held accountable for their promises, actions and inactions! We need to cure this cancer in order to end these equalization comments !”

To Mr Yankah, the government’s attempts to deflect blame or justify their actions seem hypocritical.

His comments come amid a growing blame game between the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and the New Patriotic Party (NPP) regarding the worsening state of illegal mining and its impact on Ghana’s water bodies.

On September 3, 2024, a heated debate erupted in Parliament over galamsey, with both the Majority and Minority MPs accusing each other of exacerbating the environmental crisis. Majority Chief Whip Frank Annoh Dompreh blamed the NDC for causing greater damage to the environment, while Minority Leader Dr Cassiel Ato Forson acknowledged that, despite the deployment of security forces, the illegal mining activities continue.

MPs also raised concerns about water shortages affecting parts of the country, including Kumasi, Accra, and the Western Region, with some warning that the situation could worsen if action is not taken.

Source:newsalertgh.com