Charles Bissue, former IMCIM secretary, has insisted that Ghana’s current fight against illegal mining is not a matter of new ideas, but of continuity and disciplined implementation.
He noted that the strategy being rolled out under the Mahama administration is largely based on a roadmap developed during former President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo’s tenure.
Speaking on Adom FM’s Dwaso Nsem, Mr Bissue said successive governments often repackage existing policies instead of strengthening enforcement.
“I don’t think we have done well with regards to the fight against galamsey because every government brings its own plan,” he said. “The fight is not rocket science; it requires sustained enforcement, supervision, and discipline.”
He revealed that the framework guiding current interventions—including the GoldBod initiative and river guard systems—was part of the original policy document he chaired under Akufo-Addo.
The committee included experts such as Professor Kuma, Vice Chancellor of the University of Mines and Technology (UMaT), who contributed to shaping the roadmap.
“Professor Kuma was part of the committee I chaired, and that is what the NDC are implementing,” he said.
Bissue argued that governance is about continuity rather than constantly introducing new policies.
“If any government comes and promises to do anything new, no. All that is required is discipline, monitoring, and supervision because the laws are already in existence,” he added.
His comments come amid renewed national debate over the Mahama administration’s measures against galamsey, which continue to threaten Ghana’s rivers, farmlands, and forests.
Bissue’s intervention underscores calls for consistency, enforcement, and political will rather than repeated policy resets in tackling illegal mining.
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