Yaw Acheampong Boafo, President of the Ghana Bar Association (GBA), has urged the government to strengthen its efforts against illegal mining, commonly known as galamsey, by targeting the influential individuals believed to be behind the practice.
In his address at the 2024/2025 Annual General Conference in Kumasi on September 9, Boafo stressed the urgency of addressing galamsey, a serious public concern due to its detrimental impact on the environment and communities.
He noted, “…The anecdotal evidence that galamsey is controlled by powerful interests in Ghana cannot be ignored. The state must confront and address these key figures behind this issue.”
Boafo also criticized comments made by Frank Annoh-Dompreh, Member of Parliament for Nsawam Adoagyiri, who claimed that the National Democratic Congress (NDC) polluted more water bodies than the current ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP).
Boafo deemed these remarks irresponsible and called for greater national focus on curbing illegal mining activities.
Annoh-Dompreh, the Majority Chief Whip, had suggested during an emergency parliamentary session on September 3 that an investigation would show the NDC was responsible for more water pollution during their time in office.
Responding on Monday, Boafo expressed his dismay: “It was quite shocking and regrettable when a parliament leader claimed that the minority party during this period polluted Ghana’s waters more than the ruling party.”
He added, “Such irresponsible statements by a member of parliament reflect a broader malaise affecting our nation, reducing every issue to partisan point-scoring instead of addressing the core problems.”
