Pressure group, OccupyGhana, has lamented the destruction to lands and water bodies as a result of illegal mining in the country.
According to the group, history will not be kind to President Akufo-Addo and his government for enabling what it describes as a “humanitarian disaster” to continue. It indicated that the President is “betraying the trust reposed” in him by Ghanaians if he continues to fail to take action against those “stealing our gold while poisoning our water bodies” and destroying the forests.
“History will not be kind to you and your administration for turning a blind eye and enabling this humanitarian disaster to continue. It cannot be the case that your government’s inexplicable and wilful lack of action is because your Government expects that the noise will die down and that we will forget the fact that nothing is being done to stop Galamsey.”
OccupyGhana
OccupyGhana expressed dismay that government has not taken any substantive action on any of the issues raised. It noted that there appears to be no measures instituted to “contain/eradicate this senseless destruction” of the forests and water bodies by these galamsey criminals.
“We have written to you five times on the issue of Galamsey, one letter and 4 reminders. This is our 5th reminder.”
OccupyGhana
Contained in a facebook post, OccupyGhana stated that in its initial letter dated September 28, 2022, it requested that government should simply enforce the law on illegal mining. This, it revealed, has not happened as galamsey continues unabated and the law that proscribed that illegal mining remains a “meaningless adornment on statute books, simply because the Government is unwilling to or incapable” of enforcing the law.
“The complete inaction since that letter is all the proof we need that your Government will not enforce the law.”
OccupyGhana
OccupyGhana presses government to end galamsey
Recounting its past requests made to the President, OccupyGhana highlighted that it sent out a reminder on 3rd October, 2022, and asked that he takes immediate steps towards declaring a state of emergency in every mining area in Ghana in accordance with the Constitution, of which the President has taken no action.
In its October 10 letter, OccupyGhana set out comprehensive technical information which leads to the conclusion that the country could be heading towards critical food insecurity and loss of drinking water given the poisoning of our rivers with mercury, cyanide and rampant deforestation attributable to galamsey operations, which equally went unheeded.
The lack of action against Akonta Mining in its October 24 letter, OccupyGhana revealed, equally gives the general public the impression that the government cannot stop the operation of galamsey. It noted that it requested the President to direct the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources and the Minerals Commission to send all the information in their custody to the police and the Attorney General.
This, it explained, is necessary to ensure Akonta Mining’s actions are prosecuted and justice sought for the people of Ghana.
“To do nothing is to condone the illegal actions of Akonta Mining, its executives and shareholders.”
OccupyGhana
Owing to the seeming reluctance of government to heed OccupyGhana’s call to declare a state of emergency, it urged President Akufo-Addo to show the nation that he is “not all talk and no action” but is indeed willing to stake his presidency on ending the menace of galamsey.
