A file photo of destroyed water bodies through illegal mining activities
Dear Reader, please take a couple of minutes to read the grievous news contained in the reports summaries which I shall be quoting in the paragraphs immediately following this one: (you can get the full reports by Googling the headlines quoted.)
QUOTE: Google galamseyers threaten accra-kumasi road
About 11,900 results (0.29 seconds)
“Illegal miners dig 5 meters close to Accra-Kumasi Highway at ...https://citinewsroom.com › 2023/02 › illegal-miners-di...
— “It's unfortunate these guys have mined closer to five meters away from the road. When it rains, and we have not reclaimed, it may affect the ...
“Illegal miners encroaching section of Accra-Kumasi highway ...https://www.myjoyonline.com › illegal-miners-encroach...
— Two illegal miners have been arrested for engaging in illegitimate mining five meters away from the Kumasi- Accra highway at Ayinam in the ...
“Illegal miners encroaching section of Accra-Kumasi ... - YouTubehttps://www.youtube.com › watch
“ — These illegal miners, who mostly operate at night have dug huge trenches just 5 METERS away from the MAIN ACCRA-KUMASI HIGHWAY End Quotes
ALL RIGHT, we all know that the galamseyers have no conscience and have proved this again and again by attempting to ruin some of the most important rivers in our dear country.
Ankobrah, Pra, Offin, Tanoh Kronkron, Densu and Birem Abenaa now exist only in name, thanks to the galamseyers. But who would have thought that they would be so UTTERLY WICKED as to attempt to destroy the single most important road in Ghana, the Accra to Kumasi Road?
They have dared to touch that road (near Osino, towards Anyinam) because we have all contributed to making the galamseyers believe that we have a weak-kneed Government. Arguments have been flying about “helping the unemployed to make a living.”
But are we the only country in the world with unemployed people? Do other countries allow some members of their populace to be killed by poisoned water, or dried water bodies so that others might be able to earn a living?
How did the galamseyers come by the opinion that our Government was “weak-kneed,” anyway? Well, they have been watching the Government, haven’t they?
Are they not intelligent enough to read the body language the Government has been exhibiting vis-a-vis the galamsey phenomenon?
Today, the Government sets up “Operation Vanguard.” Tomorrow, it is smeared with corruption allegations and taken off the job. Without proper explanation.
“Tomorrow next”, up “Operation Vanguard Series Two”! But that too vanishes into thin air. Again, without adequate explanation. So those galamseyers who wield some clout in the ruling circles of the land, think they have “won” the argument that their ruling party needs money to continue to win elections, and therefore,galamsey should be secretly tolerated by the Government, while in public, it declares savage war on it!
As the mystified populace scratches its head in puzzlement, another verbal instrument called “Operation Halt” is launched. It too runs into two editions! Where do they get the verbal terminologies from? We can only speculate that some spin doctors might be hiding in places we dare not pry into!
Of course, the galamseyers LAUGH IN SECRET! They laugh every time the verbiage machine gets to work. They don't have to wait long: Government quarters begin to sing the praises of “community mining” (unaware that the laundering of the image of galamseyers who have “political connections” is very easy to detect.
Meanwhile, galamseyers continue to be occasionally “caught”, creating confusion in some minds. “To be or not to be”?
But it looks as if the arrested suspects are “processed” in the “usual” lackadaisical Ghanaian way. Even a Chief Justice is appalled at the lack of resoluteness on the part of the authorities, and she boldly suggests: “Let’s set up galamsey courts to speed up the trial of galamsey offenders”.
But the usual Ghanaian “omerta” (Mafia-type SILENCE) greets the idea. Soon she retires anyway. And galamsey cases go through the justice system at the same speed as our proverbial land cases.
The galamseyers LAUGH some MORE when their Chinese allies declare Ghana a “no-deportation zone, aware as they are that Huang sounds very much like Yuang, even if it wears ladies' clothing!
They get their biggest laugh, though, when the Government rushes through Parliament, legislation that will jail convicted galamseyers for up to 25 years and ostensibly removes any discretion that judges and magistrates might think of exercising, about galamsey cases.
Their foreign collaborators, according to the new law (Act 995), would be made to serve long prison sentences in Ghana first and WOULD THEN BE DEPORTED.
Hahahahaha!, the galamseyers had a big laugh. For they knew from experience that the Government was BLUFFING!
The evidence for that conclusion? Ask yourself: how many galamseyers have been prosecuted under the new, so-called “stringent” law, Act 995?
As far as is known, if anyone has been TRIED under that Act (995), then it was done in a “Star Chamber”. In other words, illegally – IN SECRET!
So now, the galamsey operators want to cut Ghana in two by destroying the Accra- Kumasi Road!
What really can be said about that?
Except that we cannot say we are “surprised” -- if we are honest with ourselves?
