Awula Serwah, Co-ordinator of the Ghanaian environmental organization Eco-Conscious Citizens GH, has stated that the involvement of key figures and officials from the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) in illegal mining, also known as “galamsey,” has hindered the current president’s ability to effectively address the crisis.
Serwah argued that a pattern observed under former President Akufo-Addo is now repeating itself.
She noted that just as some of Akufo-Addo’s appointees were allegedly involved in galamsey without facing punishment, the same situation is occurring under President John Dramani Mahama, despite his pledge to deal with the issue “ruthlessly.”
Describing the ongoing situation as a game of “musical chairs,” she highlighted that the same scenario is playing out with different political personalities.
In an interview on Rainbow Radio 87.5FM’s Frontline, Awula Serwah pointed out that the names of party executives, Members of Parliament, and government appointees have been mentioned in connection with galamsey—a regrettable parallel to the previous administration.
“The answer the President gave was unfortunate. ‘If you are getting gold which is a result of people being poisoned, you should be worried about it,’ she said.”
To her, people should not be poisoned because of the money a few people want to make from illegal mining activities.”
“Names of persons in government and party chairmen have been mentioned, so it was the same thing that was happening under the previous administration. It is just musical chairs…Because they are involved in illegal mining, they can’t do anything about it. Nobody is saying the President himself is involved, but unfortunately, too many people close to the current administration—as was the case with the last administration with the likes of Akonta Mining, et cetera—is a game of musical chairs; nothing has changed, and that is why they cannot deal with the problem. We couldn’t solve illegal mining under the previous administration because too many people were involved. The former President said he had put his presidency on the line, but his own people were involved. Nothing has changed.”
She further slammed the government for withdrawing the Inspector General of Police Service’s task force, describing it as a terrible decision.
The use of “blue water guards” she posited will not solve the problem, adding that they are pushing for a targeted state of emergency, especially in areas where illegal mining is occurring.
According to her, the window of opportunity to deal with illegal mining is closing, with an increase in cancer cases and kidney diseases due to polluted water, and with 60% of our waters polluted.
“The situation is dire. 60% of our water bodies are polluted. Water is life, and without water, we’ll all die. One is asking, what does the President want to see before he realizes that the situation is serious? Does he want every Ghanaian to drop dead? If you have other options, why have you not employed them? Are we waiting for every Ghanaian to die first? Are we waiting for 100% of our water bodies to be contaminated and our forest reserves to be gone? You cannot downplay this situation. It is a matter of life and death. We face an existential threat.”
She added that even in war situations, you cannot pollute waters, but illegal miners in Ghana are polluting our waters and threatening human life.
By: Rainbowradioonline.com/Ghana
