The combat in opposition to unlawful mining, popularly generally known as galamsey will stay futile except state establishments on the frontlines are adequately resourced and work in unison.
Every company has reliable issues, however they’re struggling to behave on account of lack of assist and coordination, Nationwide Director of A Rocha Ghana stated.
Talking at a multi-stakeholder assembly held at Asiakwa final Monday that introduced collectively key actors from the Ghana Immigration Service, Police Service, Environpsychological Safety Company (EPA), Water Assets Fee, and the Forestry Fee, Dr Bosu painted a grim image of institutional disconnect and logistical constraints hampering efforts to handle the unlawful mining menace.
The engagement fashioned a part of a broader initiative aimed toward bridging the hole between nationwide coverage and community-level realities to advertise a extra coordinated and well-resourced response to galamsey.
“This assembly is to deliver all stakeholders to the desk to replicate on the rising menace of galamsey, which is spiraling uncontrolled,” Dr Bosu stated.
He highlighted crucial challenges reminiscent of institutional disconnect and extreme logistical constraints.
The Forestry Fee for example, regularly raises alarms about unlawful mining in forest reserves however usually lacks the police assist to implement laws.
Equally, the Water Assets Fee receives reviews on water air pollution however lacks the creatority and instruments to take motion.
“Even the police say they’re outnumbered and poorly outfitted. How can we count on actual implementment below such circumstances?” he questioned.
Dr Bosu additionally expressed concern over the Minerals Fee, which reportedly granted mining concessions with out informing native communities or participating stakeholders, additional eroding belief on the grassroots stage.
He criticised Legislative Instrument (LI) 2462, which permitted mining in forest reserves and it despatched the incorrect sign and undermine conservation efforts.
He referred to as for its repeal and a assessment of Ghana’s mining legal guidelines to align them with environmental safety targets.
“If the forestry officers are complaining, the police lack logistics, the EPA is sidelined, and the Minerals Fee shouldn’t be speaking, how can we win this combat?” he requested and added that “we have to assist every establishment and work collectively.”
Dr Bosu emphasised the necessity to contain the media in setting the nationwide agenda and amplifying anti-galamsey campaigns.
Echoing these issues, Dr Clement Sarfo-Nyarko, a lecturer in Safety, Growth, and Leadership in Africa at King’s Faculty London, famous that efforts to curb unlawful mining had failed because of the lack of synergy amongst actors.
In response to him, state companies usually operated in silos with no shared imaginative and prescient, permitting unlawful miners to take advantage of institutional weaknesses.
FROM AMA TEKYIWAA AMPADU AGYEMAN, ASIAKWA
