While the country is struggling to deal with the canker of galamsey (to wit illegal mining), the Chief Executive Officer of Marrer Ghana Limited and Susatgad Boat Industries, Novihoho Afaglo, has called on President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to crack the whip by arresting his own party executives found to be involved in illegal mining activities.
According to him, unless government officials, party faithful and chiefs in mining areas involved in the illegality are apprehended, the indigenes will also not stop galamsey activities.
“Unless your own officials and chiefs from mining communities stop the illegal activities, the people with no employment who see galamsey as the only source of employment will continue to mine illegally,” he cautioned.
Mr. Afaglo said some of the reasons why loads of Ghanaians are engaged in illegal mining are lack of jobs, especially for the youth, the current economic hardships the country has been plunged into, and the fact that families have to be fed.
He said the fight against illicit mining can only be won if the government sets aside political powers and influence, educates individuals who are fascinated about mining with the dos and don’ts in the business.
The CEO of Marrer Ghana Limited and Susatgad Boat Industries said the galamsey situation in Ghana was a real case of Chinese being brought into the country by their sponsors (in this case by officials in government) and bigwigs in the New Patriotic Party.
“Inasmuch as unemployment was widespread in the country, it was still not an excuse to engage in galamsey, knowing how it negatively affects the country. Greed must not overtake our conscience as a people to act right.
“…Our leaders must act, our chiefs must act fast, and our military must act faster. The least talk about Aisha Huang, the better for us because her case just exposes how weak our politicians are to fall cheaply into sex-tapes blackmails,” he stated.
Mr Afaglo said Ghana may soon have to import drinking water according to the Ghana Water Company Limited if an end was not put to galamsey.
He said when the worst transpires, these party apparatchiks seize the pits from the original owners and relocate them themselves by sacking the vulnerable people, depriving them of their source of employment.
Against this backdrop, Mr Afaglo urged the security agencies to be honest with the citizens and do the needful by apprehending both the government and the party officials who are indulging in the galamsey menace.
