The Convener of the Media Coalition Against Galamsey, Ken Ashigbey, has commended President John Dramani Mahama for his inclusive engagement with civil society organisations (CSOs) on illegal mining, commonly known as agalamsey, last Friday.
Speaking on Adom FM’s Dwaso Nsem, Dr. Ashigbey described the meeting as a “positive engagement” that reflected the President’s willingness to involve all stakeholders in addressing the country’s deepening environmental crisis.
“The engagement was a positive one in terms of carrying everybody along — some of the things we are doing, the assurances from President Mahama and the Lands Minister on the galamsey fight,” he noted.
Dr. Ashigbey praised President Mahama for showing “political leadership” on the matter, saying he was convinced the Lands and Natural Resources Minister, Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah was also working diligently to reverse the damage caused by illegal mining.
However, he acknowledged that significant challenges remain, noting that the meeting’s format did not allow CSOs to fully table their demands or probe certain pressing issues.
“We were expecting the President to give us milestones and timelines that will define success in the fight against galamsey,” he said. “Nonetheless, it was a good first step, and we look forward to continued engagement.”
Dr. Ashigbey reiterated the CSOs’ long-standing call for a state of emergency to be declared, particularly in the Volta Lake area, where water turbidity levels have reached alarming heights.
“Last year, then-former President Mahama called for a state of emergency in the Volta Lake area. Today, with turbidity levels around 90,000, the need is even more urgent,” he emphasized.
He further urged government agencies to strengthen monitoring and evaluation mechanisms, recommending that the Ghana Water Limited and the Community Water and Sanitation Agency regularly publish water quality data to ensure transparency and public accountability.
Dr. Ashigbey also called for frequent testing of soil and food quality by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and other research bodies to track contamination trends.
Touching on the broader fight against illegal mining, he highlighted the need to tackle illicit financial flows and hold powerful financiers, chiefs, and politically exposed persons accountable.
“The real criminals are not the poor people caught in the pits but the rich and influential people behind the scenes. Some chiefs have resisted galamsey, which shows leadership, but others have failed their communities and must be held responsible,” he said.
Dr. Ashigbey concluded by urging the National House of Chiefs to take a firmer stance against traditional leaders who enable illegal mining and called for continued collaboration between the government and CSOs to sustain the momentum of the fight.
Source: Gertrude Otchere
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