June 30 is Red Friday - Town Hall meeting on galamsey at Manso Nkwanta
The Convener of the Media Coalition Against Galamsey, Mr Kenneth Ashigbey, has called on all stakeholders in the fight against illegal small-scale mining (galamsey) to join in the third edition of the National Red Friday scheduled for June 30, 2017.
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Mr Ashigbey, who is also the Managing Director of the Graphic Communications Group Limited (GCGL), said the wearing of red attire by stakeholders in their numbers would help sustain the campaign and remind authorities of their commitment to end the menace with the urgency it deserved.
“Wear red and support the ‘stop galamsey movement’ and let’s compel our leaders to protect our water bodies and environment today to secure our future. Don’t be a spectator,” he said.
The National Red Friday was declared by the coalition to demonstrate its anger against the illegal activities and thereby draw public attention and sensitise them to the government’s action to clamp down on galamsey activities throughout the country.
Speaking to the Daily Graphic in Accra yesterday, Mr Ashigbey said it was satisfying to note that the campaign was gradually yielding results and underscored the need for it to be sustained by keeping the pressure on the authorities.
He said reports from the Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL) indicated that the national campaign against galamsey was yielding some positive results, as the quality (turbidity) and levels of water in some water bodies had improved.
The reports established that the progress made had enabled the GWCL to resume the operation of some of its treatment plants that were shut down due to the impact of galamsey.
Mr Ashigbey said some of the outcomes of the campaign included the removal of the excavators from the galamsey sites.
Maiden town hall meeting
The maiden edition of a series of town hall meetings, planned by the coalition in partnership with the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) to engage stakeholders at the grassroots on the illegality, will come off on the same day.
It will take place at the Amansie West District Assembly conference room at Manso Nkwanta in the Ashanti Region.
Mr Ashigbey said the NCCE was already doing preparatory work on the ground to facilitate the stakeholder engagement.
Those invited to address the gathering include the Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, the Minister of Environment, Science and Technology and the Minister of Water and Sanitation.
Others are the Minister of Information, the Minister of Defence, the Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, among other ministers.
Some critical state institutions such as the Minerals Commission will also be present to address the concerns of stakeholders.