Awula Serwah, the Coordinator for Eco-Conscious Citizens, has criticized the government’s inaction regarding illegal mining (galamsey) activities that pose a threat to the environment.
This comes on the back of the suspension of the Organized Labour strike which was slated for October 10, 2024. The decision to suspend the strike follows a contentious meeting held by Organized Labour, during which members of the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT) and other unions staged a walkout.
This strike was intended to exert pressure on the government to address pressing labor demands, particularly as illegal mining continues to wreak havoc on both the environment and the economy. Recently, government officials announced new initiatives aimed at combating the issue of illegal mining, which may have played a role in swaying Organized Labour’s stance.
However, in an interview on Starr Today with Joshua Kodjo Mensah, on October 9, 2024, Madam Awula voiced her doubts about the government’s resolve, stating, “Has the government yielded to a state of emergency? I think not.” She pointed out that the promised initiatives to combat illegal mining, including sending personnel to remove illegal miners from river bodies, are yet to be executed.
She highlighted that there were supposed to be important changes, such as revoking the LI2462 license and the mining license issued for the Forest Reserves, but these measures have not come to fruition. “Licenses have been granted. They were supposed to be removed or revoked. That hasn’t been agreed as of now,” she stated.
Moreover, she raised concerns about the oversight of small-scale mining activities, asserting, “We know our monitoring system is virtually non-existent, and therefore the activities of the thousands of small-scale miners cannot be monitored. In fact, in many cases, they’re engaging in illegal mining.”
She further defined illegal mining, saying, “When you have a mining license and you go outside the parameters of your license, you’re engaged in illegal mining.” She ended with a pointed inquiry about the government’s commitment: “So what exactly is the calling off of the strike?”
Source: Ghana/Starrfm.com.gh/103.5FM/Mary Asantewaa Buabeng
