The Ghana Coalition Against Galamsey (GCAG) has issued a scathing assessment of the government’s efforts to curb illegal mining, declaring the current strategy a failure and demanding that President John Dramani Mahama take immediate, decisive action to halt environmental “impunity.”
In a press statement released Saturday, March 28, the Coalition noted that while the anti-Galamsey campaign showed early promise, meaningful impacts remain unachieved as illegal operations continue to devastate the nation’s water bodies and forest reserves.
The group expressed particular disappointment over the deteriorating state of Ghana’s greenery, reporting that the number of impacted forest reserves has risen from 45 to at least 50 since the President took office, affecting over 9,000 hectares.
”The Atewa Forest, crucial for biodiversity and water, faces unprecedented illegal mining,” the statement noted, adding that the GCAG is urgently calling for the repeal of E.I. 144 to provide long-term protection for the Achimota Forest, a request they say has been pending since last year.
Turning to the pollution of major rivers including the Ankobra, Birim, Pra, and Ofin, the Coalition slammed the continued presence of “chanfan” mining machines as “an act of state negligence.” To restore public trust, the GCAG demanded the immediate publication of weekly water quality statistics, asserting that “citizens have the right to know what they are drinking.”
The Coalition also outlined several non-negotiable steps for the government, including the immediate sanctioning of District and Municipal Chief Executives (DCEs/MCEs) in affected areas.
They pointed out that despite presidential promises that Galamsey would be a key performance indicator for local officials, not a single leader has faced consequences. “Name them! Sanction them! Remove them!” the group demanded.
Furthermore, the GCAG called for legal transparency, specifically the release of the Professor Frimpong-Boateng report and the prosecution of “politically exposed persons” named within it. The group also urged the State to drop charges against the “Atronsu 5” environmental activists and seek justice for the murder of 13-year-old Pious Nketia Nkansah in Adelekezo.
The press release, signed by convenor Kenneth Ashigbey and other prominent members, concluded with a direct plea to the Presidency to move beyond “vague admissions” of internal political involvement.
“Stop hiding behind vague admissions. What are your actions to address the impunity within your government? Name the names. Arrest the powerful. No one is above the law,” the Coalition stated, urging the President to personally oversee a time-bound action plan to save the environment.
Story By: Eric Boateng
