Expose Any Politician Who Sponsors Galamseyers-MCAG Tells Media

The Media Coalition Against Galamsey (MCAG) has stepped up its campaign with the holding of  town hall meetings at Obuasi and Stakehoders Forum at Patransan in the Asante Akim Central Municipality with the called on all Ghanaians especially media practitioners to expose any politician who sponsors galamseyers. It was on the theme “Stop Galamsey, Ways To Ensure Sustainable Small Scale Mining For The Development Of Ghana”.

The well attended town hall meeting held at Catholic Social Centre,Obuasi was chaired by Nana Kwabena Gyamera Oyiakwa,Kwanpiahene of Obuasi.

Presentation were made on the effects of galamsey on water Bodies & the environment by Dr. Duah of Water Research Institute, presentation on the security agencies was done by Colonel Michael Amoah-Ayisi of Operation Vanguard.

Meanwhile, representatives of the inter-Ministerial Committee Secretariat which was billed by the organizers to make a presentation, Mineral’s Commission and Environmental Protection Agency(EPA) were dully invited to make presentation on the environmentally & social effects of galamsey failed to show up at the Obuasi  town hall meeting without notice to the organizers.

The Ghana Immigration Service among others after the Media Coalition Against Galamsey gave the overview of the project also took turns to speak on what they were doing to help the fight against illegal mining popularly known as galamsey. A stakeholder’s forum was organized  for the people of Konongo in the Asante north Municipality. Mr. Kenneth Ashigbey, the Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Chamber of Telecommunications who is the Convener for the Coalition lamented about the poor road network from Kumasi to Obuasi, the gold city and called on the government and stakeholders to review the mining laws so that the mining communities like Obuasi and others can enjoy adequate royalties to help improve their infrastructure status. I believe it is high time we change the way we manage our mineral resources or royalties.The road linking Obuasi is uncalled for and it is totally unfair to mining community like Obuasi”.

The former Managing Director of Graphic Communications group couldn’t believe his eyes when he and Coalition members struggled very hard to use the Obuasi road for the town hall meeting hence appealed to the government for immediate steps to improve upon the deplorable state of the road.”We have heard that Anglogold Ashanti will soon bounce back but I think there is the need for the stakeholders to put prudent measures in place for the Obuasi people to benefit from the extraction of gold from this area and also have a sustainability plan so that after the 20 year life of the mine, Obuasi will not be left in this sorry state. It is totally unfair for the people of Obuasi and its environs that so much gold is taken from the area but nothing as far as their road network is concerned has been addressed”, he added.

It is in this light that Ing. Ashigbey renewed his call for all hands to be on deck to ensure that the fight against illegal mining succeeds for the good of all Ghanaians. He called on the people in the area as well as all mining communities to rise up against illegal mining so as to help protect our water bodies, environment etc for the next generation. According to him, Media Coalition Against Galamsey which was formed last April,2017 has chalked a lot of successes but there was still more work to be done. He disclosed that in all the arrest made of foreigners  by Operation Vanguard,88 percent are Chinese and called for the urgent need to address the Chinese factor so far as the fight against galamsey is concern. According to him, the major challenge of the #StopGalamsey fight is the weakness of the  justice delivery system since the prosecution was very slow and moreover, the sentencing was not deterrent enough.He said per the mining laws of the country, the Mineral and Mining Act, foreigners found guilty of this act should be fined a minimum of 30,000 penalty units, which is currently GH¢360,000.00 and not the GH¢ 2,400 that most of the courts have been imposing on these convicted criminals.

He commended the government for the quick response to the MCAG’s call by banning galamsey, imposing the moratorium on small scale mining, the formation of Operation Vanguard among other measures which has seen to improvement of some water bodies and appreciable reduction of illegal mining across the country.

He indicated that the MCAG would not relent in its efforts but would continue to mount pressure on the government and stakeholders to ensure proper mining if the government should lift the mining ban.

The Convener of MCAG emphasized that they were not against small scale mining since it holds the key to social economic development of the country but was totally against irresponsible mining including the usage of chemicals especially cyanide and mecrury among other illegal means of mining.

The various speakers stressed on the need for all Ghanaians to contribute their quota to support the government to eliminate illegal mining which is posing threat to the environment and water bodies across the country.They warned against politicization of the crusade against  galamsey. They also called for stiffer punishment of culprit to serve as enough deterrent to others. 

By:Isaac Amoah

http://thenewtrustnewspaper.com

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