Tamale South Lawmaker Haruna Iddrisu has said that illegal small-scale mining (Galamsey) came as a result of joblessness in the country.
The opposition legislator said President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo should be held liable for failing to fight illegal small-scale mining.
In the view of Haruna Iddrisu, President Akufo-Addo has watched on for the illegal miners to destroy the environment and water bodies.
Speaking on the Hot Issue on TV3 on Sunday, September 22, he said “President Akufo-Addo must be held liable for the destruction of livelihoods after failing to fight galamsey.”
“Galamsey is a function of unemployment in the country,” he stressed.
President @NAkufoAddo must be held liable for the destruction of livelihoods after failing to fight galamsey – Haruna Iddrisu#HotIssues #3NewsGH pic.twitter.com/pKicAawPWZ
— #TV3GH (@tv3_ghana) September 22, 2024
Meanwhile, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has appointed the National Security Minister, Albert Kan-Dapaah, as the chairman of the committee an adhoc ministerial committee to engage stakeholders on illegal mining.
This was announced by Information Minister Fatimatu Abubakar in a notice on Friday, September 13.
This comes at a time when pressure has been mounted on the government to ban galamsey.
The National Executive and, indeed, the entire membership of the Ghana Union of Traders’ Associations (GUTA) that added its voice to the call on the government by Organized Labour and other civil society organizations for the immediate ban on Galamsey. stated that as a union of traders in the country with interest in driving economic development and sustainability in Ghana, they felt it a duty as well as a shared responsibility to also ensure that the natural resources of the country are judiciously used and preserved for future generations to also benefit.
From the recent discourse that has taken over the media landscape, GUTA said, it is a very clear indication that enough is enough for galamsay in this country.
Although small scale mining has been going on for decades, it is now apparently clear that the country has come to a tipping point. The influx of foreign entities, especially, the Chinese with their heavy machinery have degraded the sector for the worse, a statement issued said.
“We are of the strong view that if nothing is done urgently about the situation, the country may not be able to recover from the devastating effect of illegal mining. In this regard, GUTA calls on the President of the Republic to declare a state of emergency on the matter as soon as possible to ensure that every resource is given the needed attention and direct the fight for complete eradication of the scourge.
“It is our fervent hope that the President would heed to the numerous calls and act decisively to end the menace before his tenure of office ends which would be a great legacy for him,” GUTA said in a statement.
Below is the full list.
On the instruction of the President of the Republic, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, an adhoc Ministerial committee has been set up to engage all stakeholders to assess government’s efforts in dealing with illegal mining in Ghana.
The five-member committee is led by the
1. National Security Minister, Hon. Albert Kan-Dapaah
Other members of the committee are:
2. Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Hon. Samuel A. Jinapor
3. Minister for Defense, Hon. Dominic Nitiwul
4. Minister for Employment, Labour Relations
Source: 3news.com
