The Member of Parliament for North Tongu Constituency in the Volta Region, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa has attributed the country’s failure in the fight against the activities of illegal mining to a lack of integrity among leaders in the country.

Speaking in a media interview on Thursday, December 28 2023, the opposition National Democratic Congress Member of Parliament expressed regret over the failure of successive governments to address the menace of illegal mining which is threatening the country’s ecosystem.

According to Mr Ablakwa, the New Patriotic Party and President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo’s administration particularly has failed to demonstrate genuine commitment towards the fight against the activities of illegal mining in the country.

“The galamsey matter let’s be honest, it is just a reflection of the lack of integrity in leadership, that’s it, that’s what it is, lack of integrity. So there’s no sincerity, there’s a lot of pretense, we don’t need a new law, we don’t need to know who to report to. There’s no inch of land, no space in our country that is not under political control”
Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa

galamsey1 — An Illegal Mining Site in Ghana

Politics And The Fight Against Illegal Mining In Ghana

Commenting on the effect of politicization on the government’s effort to fight against the activities of illegal mining in the country, the North Tongu Legislator posited that the extreme politicization in the country has further derailed the progress made by the government towards the fight against illegal mining in the country.

The former Deputy Minister of Education under the erstwhile John Mahama and the National Democratic Congress administration therefore called for a renewed commitment and leadership of integrity to fight against the activities of illegal mining in the country.

“We all know the galamseyers, they’ve come to collect party cards, they’ve come for top positions and leaders cannot tell them in the face that stop it, we’re going to arrest you, we’re going to prosecute you. So it’s failed leadership, no integrity. Let’s call it what it is,”
Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa

It is worthy to note that Ghana has been actively engaged in efforts to combat illegal mining, also known as galamsey. The fight against illegal mining is a multifaceted challenge that involves regulatory, law enforcement, environmental, and community engagement strategies.

For instance, the country has laws and regulations governing mining activities, and efforts have been made to strengthen these frameworks to deter illegal mining.

The Minerals and Mining Amendment Act, 2019 (Act 995), which imposes a punishment of a minimum of twenty (20) years in prison for a non-Ghanaian together with a fine of between one hundred thousand penalty units and three hundred and fifty thousand penalty units has been passed by Parliament to enhance enforcement, increase penalties for illegal activities, and provide a legal basis for addressing the activities of illegal mining in the country.

Moreover, successive governments have established task forces and special units including the Inter-Ministerial Taskforce set up by the Mahama administration and Operation Vanguard, a Joint Military Police Taskforce comprising 400 servicemen from the military and police service established by the NPP administration to tackle the menace of illegal mining in the country.

These units often involve collaboration between law enforcement agencies, environmental authorities, and other relevant stakeholders which conduct operations to identify and apprehend individuals involved in illegal mining activities.

Additionally, the adoption of technology, such as the deployment of Geographic Information System (GIS) tools, has been explored by the current administration to improve the management and regulation of mining activities.

It’s important to note that the effectiveness of these measures can be influenced by various factors, including the level of enforcement, community cooperation, and the adaptability of illegal operators.

Thus, a sustained efforts and continuous monitoring are essential to sustain progress in the fight against illegal mining in the country.