Ace Anan Ankomah, Convener of Occupy Ghana, has expressed his deep frustration regarding the devastating impact of illegal mining, commonly known as galamsey, on Ghana’s environment and water resources.
Ankomah criticized the government for its lack of political will in addressing the crisis, despite numerous warnings and recommendations from stakeholders, including Occupy Ghana, over the years.
In an interview with Bernard Avle on Channel One TV’s The Point of View on Monday, September 30, he expressed disappointment over the government’s inaction, revealing that multiple letters sent to the presidency, including one on September 10, 2024, have gone unanswered.
He emphasized that Ghana has effectively lost the battle against galamsey, citing shocking images and videos that expose the destructive consequences of illegal mining operations throughout the country.
Ankomah also lamented the failure of effective mining regulations, which have allowed rampant exploitation, including the involvement of foreign entities in illegal mining activities.
“There’s no acknowledgment of receipt, and there’s no action from the presidency. We may have been ignored all these years, and while it’s not too late, I believe we have lost the war against galamsey,” he stated. “The only good news is that we lost it to ourselves, so we can sit down and fix it.
The images we’re seeing are horrendous; they were not in that state when we first visited Tarkwa in 2016 or even in 2022. If you show that you can’t regulate, everyone will dig in. Now the kingpins are not just locals; foreigners have come in with money, creating a free-for-all situation.”
To address the ongoing crisis, Ankomah called for immediate and stringent measures to mitigate the environmental devastation caused by galamsey and restore order to the mining sector.
He pointed out that the owners of the advanced equipment used in illegal mining are well-known figures in Ghana, emphasizing that these machines did not arrive at the ports unnoticed.
“The changfans and excavators didn’t just drop from the sky. They were shipped through our harbors. If we want to know who brought which machine, we know, yet we won’t take action,” he asserted.
He commended Organised Labour’s decision to confront the issue of galamsey, with an important meeting scheduled for Tuesday, October 1, to determine their next steps following the government’s inaction.
This meeting is particularly significant as it comes after Organised Labour’s ultimatum to the government, which expired on September 30, 2024.
The labour groups have been advocating for decisive actions, including declaring a state of emergency, revoking LI 2462, and establishing special courts to prosecute illegal mining offenders.
“We welcome this development; it may have taken too long, but we appreciate the unity of purpose and the collective effort to address this issue,” Ankomah concluded.
