Convener of the Coalition Against Galamsey, Ghana, Dr. Ken Ashigbey, has urged President John Dramani Mahama to immediately sack Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs) in areas where illegal mining continues to thrive.
Speaking in an interview on Adom FM’s morning show Dwaso Nsem, Dr. Ashigbey said the fight against galamsey is not progressing as it should and requires urgent action.
“We believe it is not only us talking about it—churches are also speaking about it. We all have to come on board to work on it. But if galamsey is still ongoing in areas like Tarkwa, Obuasi, Prestea, then the DCEs and MCEs there must be sacked,” he insisted.
He explained that MMDCEs serve as chairpersons of the mining committees in their districts and therefore cannot remain in office if illegal mining persists under their watch.
“After sacking them, the government can investigate further to find out if they are part of the activities. If they are, then deal with them, because clearly, they are not helping matters,” Dr. Ashigbey added.
He reminded that President Mahama himself has described galamsey as a national emergency, yet state institutions have been slow to act decisively.
Dr. Ashigbey further stressed the urgency by referencing the destruction of forest reserves and water bodies, despite ongoing reclamation efforts.
“Article 39 of the Constitution provides clear justification for a national emergency. The scale of environmental damage we are witnessing meets those conditions,” he argued.
His remarks echo growing calls from civil society, faith-based groups, and environmental advocates for stronger government action against galamsey, which continues to devastate rivers, forests, and farmlands across the country.
Source: Dorcas Abedu-Kennedy
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