The Convener of the Anti-Galamsey Coalition, Ken Ashigbey, has called on President John Dramani Mahama to take immediate and explicit action against politically exposed individuals implicated in illegal mining, popularly known as galamsey.
Speaking in an interview on the Citi Breakfast Show on Monday, February 24, Ken Ashigbey emphasized that the country faces an existential crisis due to the environmental destruction and water pollution caused by galamsey.
He noted that despite the President’s strong rhetoric against illegal mining, decisive action has been lacking, particularly in cases involving members of his own ruling party.
Ashigbey highlighted two recent cases involving members of the ruling NDC government—one in Aowin and another in Ellembelle — which demand urgent and decisive action.
The MP for Aowin has been accused of engaging in illegal mining activities by Chiefs in the area, he noted, adding “another one is also in the Ellembelle area, the constituency for the Hon. Minister for Lands and Natural resources. The NDC constituency chairperson is being accused by a gold mining firm, I think Adamus or something of being encroached in their concession or something and being involved in galamsey. That is also a politically exposed person.”
According to Ashigbey, President Mahama must take a clear stance on these cases, just as he has done in previous corruption-related matters.
Beyond individual cases, Ashigbey criticized the continued existence of L.I. 2462, insisting it must be repealed immediately.
“L.I. 2462 is a bad law and must be repealed,” he said.
Despite the severity of the situation, he noted that the level of urgency applied to galamsey has not matched the swift action taken in other sectors by the government.
“You remember that the president before he even took office he set up ORAL, because he thought corruption was killing us. Immediately they got in, and then they got the challenge with education and feeding, immediately they didn’t set up a committee to think about what is happening and find out any information- they got into action, the same thing happened with Energy issues. Unfortunately we’ve not had that level of attention and action to the issue of galamsey,” he argued.