Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, has given a detailed breakdown of the government’s illegal mining, popularly known as galamsey fight, after eight months in office.
According to the Lands Minister, 1400 galamseyers have been arrested, 440 excavators and over 800 changfans have also been seized in 8 months of the NDC government.
He reaffirmed the Mahama government’s commitment to protecting the environment and also regulating opportunities in the mining sector.
Speaking on GTV on Wednesday, September 24, the Lands Minister detailed, “We have seized 440 excavators and more than 800 changfans. We have mobilised Blue Water Guards in key regions, and they are making a difference”.
“We are also now providing critical alternatives, and we are saying that if you want to do mining, we are going to give you the training and build your capacity to work with large-scale mining companies,” he explained.
Still on the show, Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, announced that the John Mahama-led government will declare all water bodies and forest reserves security zones.
The Lands minister warned that anyone caught engaging in illegal mining within these protected areas will do so at their own risk.
Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah detailed, “We are moving another step further, and that step says we are going to declare all the water bodies and our forests security zones. And you stay there and engage in illegal mining activity at your own risk. That is the step,”
“When the President said that we are going to use all the steps, that’s what he meant. And so I’m very confident. How can people leave red zones for you when you come and clear within nine months? And those people who have caused the damage have the audacity to be talking?” he said.
He added, “I think that the Attorney General is on top of this matter, and anybody engaged in illegal mining, we don’t care who you are or how politically connected, we will arrest and prosecute you”.
Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah further assured that the government will ensure the strict and impartial prosecution of illegal mining offenders.
He stressed, “We don’t care who you are or how politically connected you may be. Anyone arrested will be prosecuted. This time, there are no calls from anybody, no interference”.
“We are not only enforcing the law, we are reforming it. Our aim is to stop the bleeding, restore our rivers, and ensure that mining is done responsibly,” he said.
Meanwhile, Samuel Abu Jinapor, the former Minister for Lands and Natural Resources and Member of Parliament for Damongo, has admitted that the former Akufo-Addo government, of which he was a part, did not deal with galamsey.
Abu Jinapor expressed worry as the galamsey situation has worsened, with the turbidity levels in Ghana’s rivers increasing.
According to Abu Jinapor, Ghana will not make any headway in the galamsey fight if it is politicised, which undermines meaningful progress.
Speaking on Joy FM’s Super Morning Show on Thursday, September 25, Abu Jinapor stated, “I am worried, I am concerned that today we are being told the turbidity levels have gotten far worse”.
“So we then have to ask ourselves some tough questions. The Akufo-Addo administration obviously did not deal with galamsey conclusively, I would be disingenuous to claim otherwise. But when I do a comparative analysis of the turbidity levels, it gives us serious cause for concern.”
“I said when we were in government that we will not make headway if we politicised this matter,” he stressed.
Abu Jinapor added, “Of course, the NDC were huge beneficiaries of galamsey politics in the run-up to the 2024 elections. The NPP lost considerably more. And now, there is a tendency for some within the NPP and its collaborators to say this is payback time, but I want to strongly advise against that”.
“You will not have the political will and spine to deal with this matter if your political opponents are kicking galamsey as a football,” he cautioned.
The Damongo Member of Parliament further urged that the galamsey fight should be a national call for action.
“It should be a national call. All of us should be united in the fight against illegal small-scale mining”, he stressed.