Presidential Staffer, Dr. Samuel Ayeh, has warned that the spread of misinformation and false narratives is hampering the government’s efforts to combat illegal mining, commonly referred to as galamsey.
He bemoaned the growing circulation of misleading information, especially from individuals presenting themselves as independent analysts or experts.
Speaking on Accra-based Channel One TV, he said the development is eroding public confidence and misrepresenting the government’s genuine actions to curb the menace.
“Until we have been able to wage a relentless and consistent war against galamsey, there will always be challenges. All we need is honesty, because the level of misinformation from people who claim to be independent is terrible, and we must not encourage such behaviour,” he said.
Dr. Ayeh pointed to a recent incident where military excavators being transported from the port to Shai Hills were falsely portrayed as equipment imported for illegal mining operations.
“We saw a situation where even when the military was moving excavators from the port to Shai Hills, we had people saying we are bringing in excavators for galamsey. How can you fight galamsey with this level of misinformation in the system?” he asked.
He noted that such distortions undermine public trust and shift focus away from the tangible work being done to address the challenge.
Despite this, Dr. Ayeh stressed that President John Dramani Mahama remains steadfast in his resolve to end illegal mining.
“Everybody can be sceptical, that is fair, but the point is that President Mahama is focused and committed to winning the fight,” he stated, adding that both the President and the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources have shown strong leadership in confronting the issue.
“With the commitment that the President and the Lands Minister have shown, we will win the fight,” he assured.
Source : Adomonline
