Former Member of Parliament (MP) for the Ayensuano Constituency, Samuel Ayeh-Paye has stated that the fight against galamsey can only be won if stakeholders and political parties are united.
According to him both the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the National Democratic Congress (NDC) are well aware of galamsey menace and how it can be ended.
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Commenting on the recent National Dialogue on Small Scale Mining, Ayeh-Paye said, “The dialogue was very important but both the NPP and NDC know what is going on with galamsey and what can be done to end it. We are all well aware of what is going on but if we don’t unite against galamsey, then we’ll keep fighting the menace to no avail”.
He furthered that MPs from the divides of Parliament know those involved in galamsey and believes some parliamentarians are also involved in the illegality.
“Both the NPP and NDC in parliament see party people practicing illegal mining, so why don’t we come together and say we are the same people practicing galamsey and resolve it?”, he asked.
On his authority, the national dialogue was appropriate because, “if you don’t dialogue and agree, then one party will condemn galamsey whilst the other will encourage it”.
Speaking to Samuel Eshun on the Happy Morning Show aired on e.TV Ghana and Happy FM, the politician admitted there are enough laws to bring an end to the menace. “But the implementation of these laws is the issue. With consensus building and the political will, these laws can be enforced wholly”.
The mining review of Africa notes;
One of the most significant policy challenges in Ghana today revolves around the question of how to address illegal small-scale mining, popularly known as galamsey.
The topic is politically sensitive in Ghana where the practice accounts for an estimated 60% of the country’s total mining labour force and supports millions of livelihoods.
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Despite President Akufo-Addo’s promise in 2017 to eradicate the problem of galamsey “once and for all”, artisanal mining remains widespread and represents more than 30% of Ghana’s gold output.
The combination of governance shortcomings, opportunistic electoral strategies in the Western region, and the criminalisation of the sector under President Nana Akufo-Addo’s first mandate have failed to curb galamsey.
Meanwhile, the introduction of sophisticated equipment, the use of dangerous chemicals and the recent influx of foreign – predominantly Chinese – miners have significantly exacerbated its negative effects
The government however launched a national dialogue on galamsey, the starting point of a new strategy in tackling the menace.
By: Joel Sanco
