Thomas Ayertey of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) has called for effective and sustainable measures to combat illegal mining, popularly known as galamsey, cautioning against the use of guns to chase miners at mining sites.
Speaking on Plan B FM’s Ebaanosen, hosted by Ohene Kinnah, Mr. Ayertey noted that illegal mining had persisted for years, with successive governments adopting various approaches to address the menace.
He said the financial gains associated with galamsey continued to attract people to the activity, making it difficult to eradicate, and stressed the need for well-planned and effective strategies to tackle the practice.
Mr. Ayertey acknowledged that people continued to engage in illegal mining despite the associated risks, including loss of life. However, he argued that using guns to pursue miners was not an appropriate approach, emphasising the need to respect the fundamental human rights of citizens.
He said the government was implementing measures to combat galamsey while safeguarding public safety. He also cautioned that declaring a state of emergency could create fear and panic among the public, arguing that such an outcome would not necessarily help efforts to address illegal mining.
According to him, President John Dramani Mahama was taking steps to tackle the menace, expressing confidence that the ongoing interventions could eventually bring illegal mining under control.
Mr. Ayertey further claimed that some water bodies were gradually becoming clearer as efforts to combat galamsey continued, particularly in the Ayensuano area.
He also called for accountability among officials tasked with fighting illegal mining, insisting that those who accepted bribes to neglect their responsibilities should be dealt with in accordance with the law.
By: Patience Amonoo
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