All stakeholders who were involved in the illegal small-scale mining industry, popularly known as galamsyers are now struggling financially because their business was unsustainable, the Board Chair of the Minerals Commission, Sampson Kwaku Boafo, has revealed.
Mr Boafo made this remark during a working visit to the palm seedling nursery plantation at Akwatiakwaso by board members of the Minerals Commission, in the Eastern Region. He also said the Commission has distributed over one million palm seedlings to farmers and youth in illegal mining areas to prevent them from engaging in the unlawful act.
“This project is the Alternative Livelihood Project, ALP, and it is precisely why we are here to let the guys in the mining areas know that they have a bright future in agriculture. Let’s be honest with ourselves, the boys who were into gold business are now poor because the money is gone and when you mine illegally you will never make money out of it but when it is done legally with proper documentation and certification with technology, the sky will be the limit. So, there is this alternative for those without the knowhow to come and benefit from this project,” he said in an interview.
“How long does it take when you want to plant tomatoes, this is agriculture, and food is what we are talking about. Now you all know how ‘Kontomire’ has become valuable in this COVID season and government is encouraging everyone to patronize local foods because of this pandemic which has opened us to reality,” he added.
Speaking on the project, the CEO of Richie Plantations Limited, Richard Ekow Quansah said: “Beneficiaries of this palm project can also do intercropping by adding maize, beans which takes 3 months. So, as you are waiting for your 3 years for your palm to come, you still have something to depend on to the time that your palm will fruit so the alternative livelihood project is very important,” he advised.
“Farming is a good venture, and I always use myself as an example because when I came to Ghana in 2005, I used Ghc 1,000 to start a green pepper plantation in the dry season and I had Ghc 30,000 which I used to establish myself. We are encouraging the community to also come on board and get into agriculture and we will find a warehouse for them and even buy produce from them. The key point in farming is a ready market and we are finding a strategy for them to get the market,” Mr Quansah disclosed.
The media crusade against galamsey
In April 2017, some major media organisations in the country came together to form the Media Coalition Against Illegal Mining. Led by the erstwhile Managing Director of the Graphic Communication Group Limited, Mr Kenneth Ashigbey, the group’s aim was to pressure government into finding a lasting solution to the galamsey menace.
Operation Vanguard
Following pressure from the Media Coalition Against Illegal Mining, President Akuffo-Addo launched a Military Police Joint Task Force dubbed Operation Vanguard. The force was tasked to stop activities of galamseyers in the 3 most galamsey ravaged regions in the country namely Ashanti, Eastern and Western Regions.
A few months later, the Public Relations Officer of Operation Vanguard, Squadron Leader Oman Agyei announced that 75% of the force’s work had been completed.
