In a reflective Facebook post on Sunday, October 12, 2025, Prof. Abavare asserted that the continued destruction of water bodies and forest reserves is not just due to weak enforcement but stems from deep-rooted selfishness and a disregard for future generations.

“Apart from the lack of political will, we have greedy, dotard elders and leaders in this country who don’t care one bit about anyone but themselves, their families, and friends. They don’t care about any unborn generation,” he wrote.

According to him, this self-serving attitude has bred widespread frustration among the youth, many of whom now justify their involvement in illegal mining, believing that the nation’s leaders have already failed them.

Prof. Abavare further noted that the galamsey menace is a reflection of a moral leadership crisis, emphasizing that Ghana’s elders have failed to demonstrate true stewardship and integrity.

“We claim to have elders, yet they carry the cliché ‘miwua namiko’—to wit, ‘if I die, I’m no more.’ This mindset explains why the country is on autopilot,” he lamented.

He therefore called for a national moral renewal, urging government and civic institutions to address the underlying issues of greed, corruption, and short-term thinking that continue to hinder the fight against illegal mining.

Source: Adomonline 

Read the full post below:

In a strongly worded Facebook post, Prof. Abavare mocked what he called the introduction of “new terminologies” like de-chemicalization, which he said downplays the seriousness of the galamsey problem.

“Dear Ghanaian, have you heard of the new terminology called de-chemicalization? It is funny because the core idea is being shifted to a point of trivialization,” he wrote.

He argued that while government officials seem focused on inventing and debating technical jargon, illegal miners continue to destroy Ghana’s rivers, forests, and farmlands without effective intervention.

“Our inability to solve the problem has been shrouded and made unmeaningful by ‘majoring’ the minor and ‘minoring’ the major. It is the weak mind which does this because it seeks to avoid being blamed,” he stated.

Prof. Abavare explained that in its proper scientific context, de-chemicalisation refers to specialized water purification processes that remove synthetic chemical pollutants.

However, he maintained that the government’s emphasis on terminology instead of tangible solutions highlights a lack of genuine commitment to restoring the country’s degraded environment.

He also cast doubt on the government’s political will to address the issue decisively, suggesting that the President lacks the determination needed to end illegal mining.

“As to whether or not we’ll succeed in getting our fresh streams and rivers back depends largely on the will of the President — which, from where I sit, he does not have,” he remarked.

Prof. Abavare concluded his post by invoking the memory of individuals who died in the fight against illegal mining, including Major Maxwell Mahama and other officials, urging Ghanaians to honour their sacrifice.

“May the thoughts of Major Maxwell Mahama and the eight officials never be so easily forgotten. Kwame Ghana, dayie,” he concluded.

Source : Adomonline 

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Speaking on Accra-based Channel One TV, Prof. he criticised the President’s approach to addressing galamsey.

He argued that, the government’s efforts to combat illegal mining have been inadequate, and he had no regrets about his critique.

“My learned friend Enoch mentioned that I used a word to describe the president which made him uncomfortable. I want him to understand that I want my government to succeed because when my government succeeds, my country succeeds.

“That said, I stand by my description of the President as a ‘big joker.’ When we were in elementary school, we learned about rounding off—when a number is less than 5, you round it down to zero. So, if the environmental audit report from the Accountant-General indicates that we’ve reclaimed less than 1 percent of destroyed lands, in any examination, scoring below 50 percent means you’ve failed.

“So, if I were to assess the president’s performance on land reclamation, with less than 1 percent of the land restored, calling him a ‘joker’ is not out of place, is it?”

Source: Adomonline