The Ghana Coalition Against Galamsey has expressed disappointment over the National House of Chiefs’ recent rejection of a ban on all forms of mining.
The Coalition has raised alarms about the implications of this position for the environment and the future of Ghana’s natural resources.
In a statement issued, today, Tuesday, 24 September 2024, the Coalition emphasised that the House of Chiefs’ stance “regrettably reinforced and incentivized the rampant and wanton destruction of Ghana’s environment and the commonwealth bequeathed to us by our forebears.”
The Coalition criticised the House for its “notable silence” on the issue and described the endorsement of illegal mining as “particularly worrisome,” given the constitutional responsibility bestowed upon the House to protect the customary resources of various communities.
The Coalition recalled an earlier statement from the House dated February 6, 2024, highlighting what it perceived as a contradictory posture on the issue of galamsey.
It stated: “The House has a crucial role to play in protecting these resources from the ravages of illegal mining,” urging the chiefs to take a more decisive stance against the destructive practices associated with illegal mining activities.
The statement further noted that some chiefs have been complicit in the ongoing “poisoning of water bodies and destruction of farmlands” due to galamsey operations. This complicity, according to the Coalition, places the House of Chiefs on “the wrong side of history as Ghana fights for its very life.”
In light of these concerns, the Coalition has called for the National House of Chiefs to clarify its position on galamsey.
It urged the chiefs to “join more forcefully the forces of opposition to the menace that threatens the very lives of their subjects and those of posterity.”
The Coalition is optimistic that with the right actions, a positive change in the fight against illegal mining is “not only possible but inevitable.”
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