We’ve not given up on galamsey fight – Bawumia

The Vice President, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, has said government has not given up on the fight against illegal mining also known as galamsey.

A former Deputy Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Kwabena Mintah Akandor, had accused the government of losing the fight against galamsey because it was not using the right approach to fighting the illegality.

But Dr. Bawumia said the government has adopted a forceful but comprehensive approach in dealing with the menace by resourcing the security services to sustain the fight.

Speaking at a sensitization program for traditional leaders on measures to address the galamsey menace in Accra on Monday, Dr. Bawumia said government is ensuring that it provides alternative livelihoods for affected persons.

“Nana Akufo-Addo realizes that stopping galamsey also means that we have to provide alternative livelihoods for the people who engage in the galamsey activities because some may just be engaging in it as part of desperation and not knowing what to do to make a living. So we have to take into account a comprehensive and holistic solution to this galamsey issue.”

“We have to deal forcefully with this and that is where the role of the police and the armed forces will come in. and they are being resourced to deal with this. We are seeing this not as a onetime matter that if we are going to deal with the problem of galamsey, it has to be a sustained effort; you don’t go in and go out. Because once you go out, they will just wait for you to go out and they will come back again and continue. So in terms of preparation, and that is why some have wondered why it is taking time; you have to prepare  to send in the full forces and troops for a sustained effort to deal with the galamsey menace,” he added.

Advocacy against galamsey 

The Ghanaian media especially Citi FM in April 2017 began an advocacy against small scale illegal mining popularly known as ‘galamsey’ in the country following reports that Ghana might soon import water if the threat was not addressed.

Following the revelation, government waged a massive war against such activities and placed a six-month ban on small scale mining.

Government has also promised to come up with an integrated document on tackling the menace.