President John Dramani Mahama has stressed that the campaign against illegal mining will be sustained through stronger enforcement, new technologies and closer collaboration with civil society organisations (CSOs).
He, however, emphasised that the approach would require significant financial resources, and maintained also that he would declare a state of emergency in relation to illegal mining upon the advice of National Security.
President Mahama consequently reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to win the fight against the scourge, which has come to be known popularly as galamsey in local circles.
“I want to assure you that we are determined to win this fight, and your contributions, your criticisms, your pressure, putting fire under our feet, we don’t have any problem with that. We welcome it.”
“Continue to urge us on.
This is not an event; it is a process and we are determined to win this fight,” the President told a large gathering of CSOs, faith-based organisations (FBOs), environmental groups and activists at a high-level dialogue at the Jubilee House last Friday.
The dialogue, called at the instance of the government, was on the back of renewed and intensified calls on duty bearers to do more to end galamsey within the context of the worsening water crisis, contaminated food chains, among others, and their impact on the whole society.
CSOs
The meeting was attended by notable CSOs, including the Catholic Bishops Conference, the Ghana Christian Council of Ghana, the Ghana Pentecostal and Charismatic Council, Office of the Chief Imam, the Ghana Muslim Mission, Arocha Ghana, the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA), Imani Ghana, the Institute for Democratic Governance (IDEG) and the Centre for Democratic Development, Ghana (CDD-Ghana).
This is not an event; it is a process and we are determined to win this fight,” the President told a large gathering of CSOs, faith-based organisations (FBOs), environmental groups and activists at a high-level dialogue at the Jubilee House last Friday.
The dialogue, called at the instance of the government, was on the back of renewed and intensified calls on duty bearers to do more to end galamsey within the context of the worsening water crisis, contaminated food chains, among others, and their impact on the whole society.
CSOs
The meeting was attended by notable CSOs, including the Catholic Bishops Conference, the Ghana Christian Council of Ghana, the Ghana Pentecostal and Charismatic Council, Office of the Chief Imam, the Ghana Muslim Mission, Arocha Ghana, the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA), Imani Ghana, the Institute for Democratic Governance (IDEG) and the Centre for Democratic Development, Ghana (CDD-Ghana).
Most pressing issue
President Mahama acknowledged that the illegal mining menace had become one of the most pressing national challenges threatening forests, rivers and the future of communities across the country, after the introduction of earthmoving machines into the age-old trade which had been plied with rudimentary tools without leaving behind the massive devastation being seen in recent years.
President Mahama admitted that mistakes had been made in the recent past, particularly in withdrawing security forces too soon after clearing illegal miners from forest reserves.
Big budget
The President said the country needed “a substantially bigger budget” to win the galamsey war to preserve the environment.
He explained that following the formation of the National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS), the next wave of the galamsey fight would be the permanent deployment of the military to hotspots.
State of emergency
On calls to declare a state of emergency to contain the escalating situation, President Mahama stated that he was ready to take that action only upon the advice of National Security.
He said while he had the power to make the declaration, the current security briefing he had received from the National Security Council did not point to an urgent need for it.
“Yes, I have the power to do it, but the President acts on the advice of the National Security Council; and as of now, the National Security Council believes that we can win the fight against galamsey.
“I want to assure you that the day the council advises me otherwise – that boss, now we need a state of emergency – I will not hesitate to declare it,” the President stressed.
President Mahama also said the country needed more troops to be deployed to wage a sustained battle against the illegal miners.
He explained that the troops were stressed, as many of them were on peacekeeping missions abroad, while others had pitched camps at troubled areas of the country, including Bawku in the Upper West Region; and some parts of the Oti Region including Nkwanta.
https://shorturl.fm/baIq7