Political scientist, Dr. Kwame Asah-Asante, has expressed disappointment with President John Dramani Mahama for not addressing the fight against illegal mining, also known as ‘galamsey’, in his inaugural speech on Tuesday, January 7, 2025.
While President Mahama’s speech covered several critical issues, including corruption, education, healthcare, and the economy, Dr. Asah-Asante was particularly dismayed by the absence of any mention of the ongoing galamsey crisis, which he described as a life-threatening issue for the country.
Galamsey, has severe environmental and social consequences, including deforestation, water pollution, and loss of livelihoods. It’s estimated that galamsey has resulted in the loss of approximately $2.3 billion in revenue for Ghana.
Speaking in an interview on Morning Starr with Naa Dedei Tettey, Dr. Asah-Asante acknowledged the president’s speech and praised the emphasis on key national concerns.
However, he emphasized that the fight against galamsey should have been a priority.
He further stressed that the battle against illegal mining must continue, as it has long-term benefits for the country.
He said, “What I was disappointed in is the fact that the president did not find a space in the speech to include the fight against galamsey. And better late than never I believe that if he’s listening or his people are listening, they should include that so that the galamsey fight can be sustained. The fight against galamsey is one that cannot be stopped. We must continue and it will bring a lot of benefit to our society. Make sure that you get the boys who are this thing, get them license to engage in proper small scale mining, that you can be sure that the environment can be protected, water bodies can be protected and then the lives of individuals will be safeguarded, above all, you are going to raise in money.”
