Involve communities in 'Galamsey' fight - CSOs to govt
Alliance of Civil Society Organisations, a coalition of agriculture organisations wants government to implement policies and budget that respect and invest in community actions and rights, so as to help fight the menace of illegal mining in the country.
The CSOs believe that government’s efforts to fight and end illegal mining popularly known as “galamsey” has not been accomplished due to lack of involvement of the local communities in the government’s action plan.
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Speaking at a press conference jointly organised by the CSOs on Thursday, June 2, 2021, the Chief Executive Officer of Chamber of Agribusiness, Mr Anthony Selorm Morrison, said fighting galamsey is a collective action and that failing to involve local communities in the fight will not help the government to end the menace.
“We want government to be aware that fighting illegal galamsey is a collective action, but planning will fail when community members are continuously excluded,” he noted.
He also urged the government to severely punish all individuals and group of persons who are involved in the galamsey menace, saying “We want government to demonstrate that indeed no subject or person is above the law.”
Mr Morrison added, “Government should bring all known politicians, traditional authorities, policy makers, businesswomen and men and influential people involved in the business of illegal mining to scrutiny and prosecution.”
For him, CSOs will do their part to ensure that government succeeds in its fight against galamsey, hence encouraging all duty bearers such as politicians, opinion leaders, religious and traditional leaders to support the fight.
He expressed the concern that many farmlands and forest covers are being destroyed by illegal miners, leaving water bodies polluted beyond restoration.
Mr Morrison said illegal mining activities have increased due to weak enforcement, lack of coordination, and incomprehensive collaboration and consultation among relevant stakeholders.
“Community members blame the high incidence of illegal mining on their lands on four main factors, namely, lack of effective law enforcement, corruption on the part of officials, lack of political will, and complex involvement of traditional authorities,” he observed.
He said fresh evidence from field trips by the CSOs indicate that many lands and forest covers are still being destroyed by the illegal miners across the country, particularly in the Western Region.
