Convenor for the Media Coalition Against Galamsey, Dr. Kenneth Ashigbey, is condemning the ineffective actions of District Chief Executives (DCEs) in carrying out their mandate to curb illegal mining (galamsey).
He says the persistence of galamsey in many parts of the country, despite the President’s clear directives and performance indicators, reflects the failure of local leadership to enforce the law and protect the environment.
He insists that until DCEs are held accountable, the fight against galamsey will continue to be undermined.
“In areas still battling galamsey, it means the DCE has failed, because the President has given them the power and key performance indicators to fight it,” Dr. Ashigbey noted.
He continued that: “It’s about time we fought galamsey from the level where the cash flow begins and is channeled. The police commanders, DCEs, and MCEs of areas that have galamsey happening in plain sight don’t have any reason to keep their jobs,” he stated.
Dr. Ashigbey is urging the President to begin holding his appointees accountable if the fight against galamsey is to be won, as he called for a shift in focus to hold persons at the helms of affair responsible rather than targeting only the miners who are at the lower end of the chain.
Galamsey now organized crime
Speaking on Luv FM’s morning show, Dr. Ashigbey described illegal mining (galamsey) as an organized crime network that goes far beyond the activities of miners in the pits.
“The challenge with galamsey now is that it is organized crime. It is not the people you see in the pit; it is the people who are funding and smuggling it,” he said.
He explained that the real perpetrators of galamsey are not the individuals seen working in the pits but the powerful financiers and smugglers who drive the illicit trade.
According to him, one of the most effective ways to curb the menace is through the collection of solid evidence via investigative documentaries and consistent media engagement.
He noted that exposing the financial networks behind the illegal activity is critical to tackling the problem at its root.
Dr. Ashigbey highlighted the significant role of the Gold Board, saying its oversight helps in tracking and tracing illicit financial flows linked to illegal mining.
“The Gold Board’s most fortunate existence is checking the smuggling of the mineral, making it easier to trace where the illicit financial flows are going,” he said.
He also underscored the importance of traditional and local authorities in the anti-galamsey campaign, citing examples of communities that have succeeded in resisting illegal mining through decisive leadership.
“Look at Mampong, the Mamponghene stood firm and said galamsey will not happen there, and indeed it’s not happening.
The contrast between Asubone and Kwabeng, which are very close to each other, is another clear example. Asubone is free of galamsey, yet Kwabeng is struggling with it,” he noted.
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