The current level of destruction by galamsey was not experienced some eight or nine years ago when the National Democratic Congress (NDC) was in power, Buem Lawmaker, Kofi Adam has said after accusing the Akufo-Addo administration of failing to address the illegal small-scale mining menace.
For him, the current New Patriotic Party (NPP) government should be voted out to pave the way for the NDC to address the issue.
“If you have a government that has sat aloof, if you call them out and say they should be voted out, how is that politicisation? That is the solution because leadership is part of the problem,” he said on the Key Points on TV3 Saturday, September 7.
“The leadership of Nana Addo and Bawumia have failed Ghana and let us call them out. Let us call them out, we in the NDC have leaders who are very committed to the fight against galamsey, it is the Nana Addo/Bawumia leadership that has completely failed us.”
His comments come at a time when joint health sector unions have urgently called on the government to immediately ban all small-scale mining activities.
In a joint statement, the leadership of these unions emphasized the critical need for the government to bolster regulatory and enforcement agencies to effectively combat the galamsey menace.
The public sector health associations and unions, including the Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association, Health Services Workers Union, Ghana Medical Association, Government and Hospital Pharmacists Association, Medical Laboratory Professional Workers Union, Mortuary Workers Association of Ghana, Ghana Association of Certified Anesthetists, Health Accounting Staff Association, and the Ghana Physician Assistant Association, have expressed grave concerns over the detrimental impact of galamsey on water bodies.
“The Ghana Water Company recently reported a reduction in water production by over 60% in the Western Region, 30% in the Central Region, with a total loss of 50% of treated water due to pollution and silting from galamsey activities,” the statement highlighted.
The union leaders are demanding swift government action to protect the nation’s water resources.
“As associations and trade unions in the health sector, holding collective bargaining agreements on behalf of health sector employees, we demand that the government immediately bans all small-scale mining operations,” the statement read.
They further urged the government to strengthen regulatory enforcement by providing resources to relevant security agencies to clamp down on violators and ensure swift prosecution.
“All political parties should make public declarations and publish duly signed documents on their commitment to fight illegal and unethical mining activities in Ghana,” the unions added.
Source: 3news.com
