Galamsey: Akufo-Addo’s gov’t tried and failed, NDC gov’t is not trying – Kofi Bentil

IMANI Africa's Vice President, Kofi Bentil, has harshly criticized the current government's approach to combating illegal small-scale mining, known as galamsey. Speaking on JoyNews' Newsfile, Mr Bentil argued that the Akufo-Addo administration's efforts have been insufficient to tackle the crisis. He pointed out that although the previous administration did not succeed in fully eradicating galamsey, it made a more visible and intentional effort to address the issue.

Mr Bentil was particularly critical of the government's utilization of the National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS). He claimed that the measures employed by NAIMOS are not robust enough to tackle the scale of the galamsey problem. According to the Vice President, the number of individuals involved in galamsey far surpasses the number of arrests made by law enforcement.

He emphasized that the scale of the issue demands a more comprehensive and decisive response than merely conducting isolated enforcement actions.

Bentil also questioned whether economic interests in gold are influencing the government's response to galamsey. He suggested that the government should prioritize environmental restoration alongside enforcement efforts to address the environmental destruction caused by illegal mining, particularly the damage to water bodies and farmlands. He maintained that Ghana cannot continue to endure interventions that yield limited results while the scale of illegal mining continues to escalate.

In light of these concerns, Bentil called for a fundamental review of the country's anti-galamsey strategy. He advocated for a renewed emphasis on reclaiming degraded lands and crafting policies that can produce measurable improvements in the environment.