Galamsey fight: President Akufo-Addo can make history – Ghanaians told

Ghana’s fight against illegal mining has become topical in recent times as the government and sector minister have currently taken drastic steps to address the menace in President Akufo-Addo’s 2nd term in office.

However many Ghanaians are sceptical of the government’s resolution as it failed to honour its vow to fight galamsey in 2017, during the President’s 1st term in office.

Editor of the Informer Newspaper, Andy Kankam also believes President Akufo-Addo can leave a legacy, whether negative or positive in the fight against galamsey.

“President Akufo-Addo can make history by either failing or emerging victorious in the fight against galamsey”, he said on the Editors’ Take Edition of the Happy Morning show hosted by Samuel Eshun and aired on e.TV Ghana and Happy98.9FM.

On his accord, previous governments have attempted to fight the menace but to no avail. “But now with a collective effort of all stakeholders, it is possible”.

Andy disclosed that President Akufo-Addo had a great chance of winning the fight against galamsey in his 1st term “but his own people sabotaged him”.

The Ghanaian media space was rife with reports of Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs) going contrary to President Akufo-Addo’s war on galamsey initiative in his 1st time as they (MMDCEs) were either involved in the illegality or protected perpetrators.

“How come representatives of the president did just the opposite of what he (president) had spoken against? Because those representatives were involved in galamsey one way or the other, others also engaged in the act”, he stated.

The need to engage persons with the responsibility to achieve the President’s goal has become paramount in his 2nd term of office and the Minister for Lands and Resources, Samuel Abu Jinapor has brought a “new commitment to the fight against galamsey. But he can only be successful if he collaborates with other state agencies and ministries. If reports indicated that the MMDCEs were involved in galamsey, then there will be the need to engage the Ministry of Local Governance”, Andy explained.

Praying that the government and sector minister survive the fight against galamsey, Andy posited “The MMDCEs should also support the fight by organizing public lectures to educate the people on the effects of galamsey on their communities because the commitment of politicians are important in this fight”.

The editor admitted the fight against galamsey is a collective one and urged all to come on board to fight the menace. “That is how we will get somewhere”.

On his authority, many will still disregard the government’s policy to fight the menace. “We must punish the crime”, he charged.

Despite President Akufo-Addo’s promise in 2017 to eradicate the problem of galamsey “once and for all”, artisanal mining remains widespread and represents more than 30% of Ghana’s gold output.

The combination of governance shortcomings, opportunistic electoral, and the criminalisation of the sector under President Nana Akufo-Addo’s first mandate have failed to curb galamsey.