Kwame Jantuah, Esq., a prominent member of the Convention People’s Party (CPP), has expressed his frustration with the Ghana Police Service over its handling of illegal mining, commonly referred to as “galamsey,” particularly in the country’s biodiversity reserves.
Speaking on Morning Starr’s weekly review segment with Naa Dedei Tettey, Jantuah criticized the police for their perceived inability to enforce the law effectively.
“We have a police service that doesn’t know how to handle the law,” Jantuah remarked. He emphasized that while the government bears significant responsibility for addressing galamsey, the police must play a critical role in combating the illegal activity. “Today, we hear they’ve gone into the biodiversity reserves to mine. What’s the police service doing?” he questioned.
Jantuah also referenced a legislative instrument, presumably meant to regulate or prevent such activities, and took aim at both past and present administrations for their inaction. “The ally, what is it, 2464—the one President Akufo-Addo promised to withdraw, which he didn’t withdraw from parliament. I think President Mahama should quickly, quickly, quickly withdraw it so that we can take people on,” he urged.
The CPP member expressed deep concern over reports of mining activities in protected forest reserves, calling it a betrayal of Ghana’s commitment to environmental preservation.
“Biodiversity forest reserve—they are going to dig for gold. What is wrong with us? What is wrong with us?” Jantuah lamented. He further criticized the youth, implying that their involvement in such destructive activities demonstrated a lack of understanding of the long-term consequences.
Illegal mining remains a contentious issue in Ghana, with significant environmental and socio-economic implications. Critics argue that the lack of enforcement of laws and policies, coupled with political interference, has allowed the practice to thrive, even in ecologically sensitive areas such as forest reserves.
