A member of the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) legal team, Bernard Kwame Owiredu Esq, has criticised the current government for the ongoing challenges in combating illegal small-scale mining, commonly known as galamsey.
Owiredu Esq. argued that the government must accept full esponsibility for the situation, pointing to the abandonment of the Community Mining Scheme introduced by the previous administration as a significant setback in efforts to formalise artisanal mining and curb illegal activities.
“In this issue of mining, I’ll blame this government. I will blame and entirely blame them for the situation we have now,” Odu stated.
Speaking on GHOne TV’s GHToday on Tuesday, July 14, 2026, he highlighted how the previous NPP administration launched the Community Mining Scheme with extensive public education campaigns to help communities understand the initiative.
The scheme, which incorporated elements of the traditional “tributary system” familiar to residents in areas like Akwatia, aimed to integrate local participation into regulated mining operations.
“People were educated to understand what was going to happen,” Owiredu noted.
However, following the NPP’s electoral defeat, the programme was discontinued in favour of new initiatives, including what Odu described as “Responsible, cooperative, skills development.”
“Instead of you to continue the community mining scheme, you put in somewhere and bring something different,” he lamented, suggesting that the policy shift undermined progress in the fight against galamsey.
The comments come amid persistent concerns over the environmental degradation, water pollution, and security issues linked to illegal mining operations across Ghana.
The Community Mining Scheme, introduced under the Akufo-Addo administration, sought to create formal opportunities for local miners within designated concessions, replacing unregulated activities.
Source: Starrfm.com.gh
