Albert Kwabena Dwumfour, President of the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA), has voiced serious concerns regarding President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo’s unfulfilled commitment to tackling illegal mining, commonly known as galamsey.
Dwumfour urged the President to honour his promise before leaving office.
During the 28th GJA Awards and the 75th-anniversary celebration in Accra on September 28, Dwumfour highlighted the destructive impact of galamsey on Ghana’s water bodies and environment, calling it “shameful.”
He called on all Ghanaians to fight relentlessly against illegal mining.
Dwumfour stressed the importance of enforcing mining laws strictly and imposing harsh penalties on offenders.
“Illegal mining, known as galamsey, has become a pressing issue due to its disastrous effects on the environment, especially our water bodies, which are vital sources of drinking water.
Galamsey has severely damaged our environment and water resources. As a Ghanaian, it deeply saddens me to see once-pristine waters turn dark brown. This is disgraceful, and we must unite as Ghanaians to fight against galamsey.”
“There should be strict enforcement of all mining laws and regulations without any concessions, as well as the imposition of maximum sentences on offenders. This is a reliable approach to addressing this issue.
“We are aware that some time ago, Mr President made a firm vow to stop galamsey, but regrettably, that promise has not been fulfilled. Mr. President, you have barely three months until the end of the administration, and we are hopeful that you will deal with the situation before you leave office.”
Dwumfour renewed his call for a state of emergency on Ghana’s water bodies.
“We still maintain that a state of emergency must be declared over our water bodies and all planned and active mining concessions overlapping with river buffers should be abrogated and all mining activities within 50 meters buffer of all rivers and streams should be halted with immediate effect. We also reiterate that LI 2462 should be repealed immediately.”
