A pressure group, OccupyGhana has asked President Akufo-Addo to confiscate all ‘galamsey’ lands across the country.
The Group in an open letter dated October 17 said “’galamsey’ is destroying the country and that you [President] need to act, and act quickly and decisively by targeting land owners who allow their lands to be used for ‘galamsey’.”
OccupyGhana stated that “without the lands, there would be no ‘galamsey’.”
“We, therefore, propose an amendment to the law to specifically criminalise the making of land available for galamsey operations, and the confiscation of all such lands to the state,” portions of the letter read.
OccupyGhana in their third reminder to Akufo-Addo further stated that “Our research shows that often, it is the land owners who meet the kingpins and upon being paid or promised payment, quietly agree to look the other way or look on unconcerned as the criminality takes place.
“Several of these landowners quietly earn regular incomes from the galamsey kingpins therefore the need to tackle the ‘galamsey’ fight from that angle too.”
They cited Section 99 of the Minerals and Mining Act to back their proposal to incriminate land owners who offer their lands for ‘galamsey’ activities.
“Under section 99 of the Minerals and Mining Act, persons who provide lands or allow their lands to be used for Galamsey operations could be said to be abetting the offence by ‘facilitating’ it. That abetment attracts fines and imprisonment between 15 and 25 years.”
