President John Dramani Mahama has reiterated his administration’s commitment to eradicating the menace of illegal mining (galamsey) in the country, noting that the government appreciates the advocacy and pressure from Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) as part of efforts to combat galamsey.
“We need your criticism. We need your advocacy. We need your pressure. Continue to put our feet to the fire because that will encourage us to also continue to work harder,” he said.
The President made the remarks during his engagement with CSOs on combating galamsey at the Presidency in Accra.
“Let’s fight illegal mining, but at the same time, let’s bring in the new technologies that allow us to be able to protect our environment,” he stated.
Touching on the calls for him to declare a state of emergency on galamsey, the President said he had the power to do it; however, he acts on the advice of the National Security Council.
He stated that as of now, the National Security Council believes that it could win the fight against galamsey without a state of emergency.
“I want to assure you that the day they advise me otherwise, that boss, now we need a state of emergency, I will not hesitate in declaring a state of emergency,” he said.
“But we do still think that we have the power to be able to win this fight. And as we deploy more troops and we apply more resources to the fight, I’m sure that gradually we’ll begin to see that we’re winning the fight.”
He reiterated that that was not going to be a one-stop dialogue, saying, “We’re going to continue to update you. We need your support.”
He said as President, he would also continue to put pressure on the Lands and Natural Resources Ministry and all the ministries that were involved in the efforts to combat galamsey to make sure that they were able to hand over to their children and their grandchildren, an environment that their great-grandfathers handed over to them.
He said their great-grandfathers gave them a beautiful country with a lot of forests and trees and beautiful rivers.
“We should not hand over poisoned rivers and desecrated forests to our children and our grandchildren. And so we will continue to fight. I believe that we’ll win the fight against Galamsey,” he said.
The President said once the government chalks up more successes in the fight against galamsey, it would be able to come and update Ghanaians on what it had done.
“We want to do it transparently. We have nothing to hide. I don’t gain anything from Galamsey. I am not personally involved in Galamsey. And I have no interest in it continuing,” he said.
