Ing. Ken Ashigbey of the Media Coalition Against Galamsey
Ing. Ken Ashigbey of the Media Coalition Against Galamsey says President Mahama may have been too brief in his comments on the fight against illegal mining (galamsey) during his State of the Nation Address, however, he believes the president was justified.
Ken Ashigbey in an interview with Myjoyonline.com said he was initially of the opinion that President Mahama needed to touch on so many issues on galamsey to whip up trust that the canker would be dealt with under his administration.
“I was indeed worried that I did not hear him touch on some of the key issues like the LI 2462, the militias and all that, and then I chanced upon a video of the Lands Minister addressing the issues. The Minister touched on everything to be said. So if the President speaks the way he spoke at the SONA, that is fine.”
Ken Ashigbey said “Once President Mahama says proactive steps are being taken to deal with galamsey, he is talking about the actions that are being taken already and not what he plans to do.”
He urged all as citizens to help the President & the Minister “to wage this war and win it,” saying “My dedication as a citizen to this mission from God is to help win the war against Galamsey and return Ghana to the path of responsible and sustainable mining that develops our country.
“Let’s all rally round this call from the Minister to defeat the enemy in this war- the galamsey war – to save the soul of our country.#StopGalamseyNow”.
Several others, including Finance and Economics professor at the University of Ghana Business School (UGBS), Godfred Bokpin, expressed similar disappointment with the brevity of President Mahama’s address of galamsey during the SONA, saying they expected a bit more detail.
Emmanuel Armah Kofi-Buah, the Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, has issued a stern warning to illegal miners and those attacking journalists reporting on environmental issues.
He emphasised that the President will not intervene on behalf of anyone involved in such activities, stating, “The President will not call anybody, nor should anybody, and that’s why we are here. So we are empowering you to do your job.”
Addressing recent assaults on journalists, Minister Kofi-Buah declared, “Let me use the opportunity to also warn those who attacked these journalists in the last few days: your time is up.”
He acknowledged the arrest of some perpetrators and assured collaboration with law enforcement to ensure all involved are prosecuted.
Armah-Buah emphasised the importance of protecting journalists, saying, “For those who are fighting to keep us alive, we will not allow anybody to touch them.”
Pointing to the environmental devastation caused by illegal mining, the Minister called for collective action, describing the situation as a “war at the heart and soul of our survival as a people.”
He urged all Ghanaians to join the fight against illegal mining, noting the severe impact on major rivers and the nation’s future.
Kofi-Buah also announced ongoing legal proceedings against arrested individuals, including seven Chinese nationals and their eight accomplices, who have been arraigned.
He mentioned discussions with the judiciary to establish dedicated courts for expedited prosecution of illegal mining cases.
The Minister reiterated the government’s commitment to reclaiming forest reserves and water bodies, stating that operations will continue until all illegal miners are apprehended and their equipment seized.
He noted that the President has directed that confiscated equipment be repurposed for public use, such as road construction.
Addressing concerns about the government’s dedication to this cause, Minister Kofi-Buah affirmed, “For those who have doubts about our commitment to this fight, please trust us. We are going to fight all the way to the end, doing the right mining, but we are not going to spare anybody who ventures to do illegal mining in our forests.”
He also mentioned forthcoming legislative measures, including a bill to Parliament aimed at repealing certain provisions to strengthen the fight against illegal mining.
The Minister issued a final warning to those involved in such activities: “We are coming after you. You have a choice: you leave now, or we arrest you and your co-conspirators.”
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