Dr. Randy Abbey, the host of Good Morning Ghana on Metro TV, could not believe a statement by Palgrave Frimpong Boakye-Danquah, the government's spokesperson on security and governance, that the country has made some transformational strides in its fight against illegal mining, popularly known as galamsey.
During a panel discussion on the Tuesday, July 2 edition of the Good Morning Ghana show, Palgrave Boakye-Danquah took stock of what he deems to be the government's achievements relative to the fight against galamsey.
Palgrave Boakye-Danquah mentioned the implementation of alternative livelihood schemes and the purchase of mercury-free machines as some of the measures instituted by the government to rid the small-scale mining sector of the excesses of galamsey.
He revealed that the government, through the reclamation policy, has reclaimed some lands that were lost to the galamsey menace.
"President Akufo-Addo said he puts his presidency on the line for the galamsey fight, which is why he engaged head-on with the sector minister and stakeholders to ensure that illegal mining becomes a thing of the past. The government purchased mercury-free machines to stop the destruction of our water bodies.
"We also made sure that there is responsible mining, which is why we brought the livelihood empowerment program. In the mining communities now, there are people with alternative mining programs that are ongoing. These lands that have been destroyed over the years, we have reclaimed them and filled those lands," he said.
Dr. Abbey wondered for a moment if Palgrave Boakye-Danquah had not been living in the country and, therefore, had little appreciation of the issue of illegal mining.
Dr. Abbey maintained that the fight against illegal mining had been a spectacular failure and that President Akufo-Addo could not follow through on his promise to protect Ghana's water bodies and forest reserves from the destructive activities of galamsey operators.
"Palgrave, do you live in Ghana? Can you sit here and say that we have fought illegal mining? Your Western Regional Minister was just two weeks ago saying that you have stopped all the anti-galamsey operations.
"Show me where we've had an operation in any of the mining areas this year? For something that the president said he is putting his presidency on the line for, it has been a spectacular failure. The fight against galamsey has been a spectacular failure," he said.
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