In a passionate statement, Mr. Senyo Hosi, a member of the Ghana Coalition Against Galamsey, expressed disappointment in the lack of decisive action by President John Dramani Mahama on illegal mining, popularly known as galamsey.
His remarks reflect growing concerns among Ghanaians about the environmental, social, and economic repercussions of galamsey activities.
Mr. Hosi acknowledged some of President Mahama’s achievements but stressed his disappointment over the Akufo Addo’s government inaction on galamsey. However, he lamented;
“His excellency, the president [Mahama], actually signed the pledge. One of the things that the pledge talks about is denouncing galamsey and actually taking strict action and admitting that the responsibility is that of his excellency, the president.’’
“For us to be here and see things degrade and actually start getting information that some people now think it’s their turn to chop, it’s very heartbreaking.”
Mr. Senyo Hosi, Member of Ghana Coalition Against Galamsey
Mr. Hosi warned that the president is running out of time to maintain public trust, particularly among the middle class. He stated;
“I have maintained that Ghanaians rejected another Akufo-Addo regime in that last election. It wasn’t necessarily about the superiority of any policy positioning from anybody else, but it was a clear rejection of the management of our economy and critical issues like galamsey.’’
Mr. Senyo Hosi, Member of Ghana Coalition Against Galamsey
He urged President Mahama to act swiftly and boldly to restore public confidence, stating;
“We have reposed a lot of faith in his excellency John Mahama. He shouldn’t lose it that quickly. And I just pray that he’s guided by good counsel around him; He takes remedial steps to restore confidence, especially confidence between the middle class.”
Mr. Senyo Hosi, Member of Ghana Coalition Against Galamsey
Mr. Hosi painted a grim picture of the economic and environmental consequences of galamsey in affected communities. He highlighted the destruction of farmlands, water bodies, and livelihoods in galamsey-prone areas. He added;
“It is some people with very myopic thinking who even think that now they don’t have to drink from their river. Their river is not good enough and they’re getting bottled water from Accra [and] they think they’ve advanced. It is stupidity. We can’t continue to encourage this kind of recklessness in our country.”
Mr. Senyo Hosi, Member of Ghana Coalition Against Galamsey
Mr. Hosi underscored the urgency of addressing galamsey, warning that Ghana’s future depends on decisive leadership. He reiterated;
“We have only one country. Politicians will always come and go. But the Ghana we want and the Ghana we need will not be given to us because we vote. You have to fight and negotiate the Ghana you want.’’
Mr. Senyo Hosi, Member of Ghana Coalition Against Galamsey
Highlighting the pledges made by President Mahama during his campaign, Mr. Hosi expressed frustration at the lack of tangible actions to combat galamsey.
Mr. Hosi called on the president to prioritize restoring Ghana’s water bodies and ecosystems, even if it means difficult decisions. He charged;
“We have to restore our water bodies. For those who are economically impacted, we’ll go through a process to review how we can manage the interest of everybody at some point. But what is superior at this time is our environment and our water bodies. Everybody must stop.’’
Mr. Senyo Hosi, Member of Ghana Coalition Against Galamsey
Learning from Past Mistakes
Reflecting on the failures of the previous government, Mr. Hosi warned against repeating the same mistakes, stating;
“Most of us lost confidence in Akufo-Addo’s government in six months. It took him and his team to let us know that this ban was not really up to the good that we wished. I don’t want us to take less than one month for us to lose confidence in President Mahama.”
“Where Ghana is today, what is on the table is democracy itself. People are losing confidence in democracy.’’
Mr. Senyo Hosi, Member of Ghana Coalition Against Galamsey
Concluding his statement, Mr. Hosi implored President Mahama to act decisively and demonstrate bold leadership. He warned that failure to address galamsey could tarnish his legacy and doom Ghana’s future.
“If a one-time president cannot be firm and strong enough to take decisive decisions to correct and restore hope for our future, in all honesty, Ghana is doomed. That will be the legacy of JM. Mr. President, take strong action and carry us, the people, along.”
Mr. Senyo Hosi, Member of Ghana Coalition Against Galamsey
Mr. Hosi concluded by reminding the president of the urgency of the situation. He added;
“We are here for Ghana. And if we’ve all gone out there to really vote for you, Mr. President, with great expectations for a transformation, you must deliver.’’
Mr. Senyo Hosi, Member of Ghana Coalition Against Galamsey
This impassioned plea serves as a reminder that addressing galamsey is not just an environmental obligation but a crucial test of leadership and governance.
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