A senior lecturer at the University of Ghana and member of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Dr. Joshua Jebuntie Zaato, has called on President John Dramani Mahama to take immediate and decisive action to end illegal mining, widely known as galamsey.
Dr. Zaato, who is also a political science expert, made the call during an interview on Breakfast Daily on Channel One TV on Thursday, May 8.
He criticised what he described as the government’s ineffective approach to fighting galamsey, particularly the creation of the Blue Water Guard by the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Emmanuel Armah Kofi Buah.
According to him, the Ghana Armed Forces are better equipped and more capable of monitoring and eliminating illegal mining operations than the newly formed task force.
“Mr. President, you have taken a victory lap on your 120 days…It is time to work, so go back to work. Ban illegal mining, expunge the law and let us be free. This Maame Water Guard that you have formed cannot do anything that the soldiers would not do,” Dr. Zaato stated.
His comments come amid growing public scrutiny of the government’s 120-day performance claims, with environmental degradation caused by illegal mining remaining one of the country’s most urgent challenges.
Meanwhile, the Minister in charge of Government Communications, Felix Kwakye Ofosu, has announced that the government will repeal Legislative Instrument (L.I.) 2462, which permits mining in forest reserves.
This decision follows strong opposition from environmental advocacy groups, including A Rocha Ghana and the Media Coalition Against Galamsey, who previously resisted attempts to amend the regulation.
Source | Citinewsroom
