Eco-Conscious Citizens have accused government of dragging its feet in the fight against illegal mining, lamenting that nine months after announcing a hotline to report galamsey activity, nothing has been done.
The group’s Coordinator, Awulah Serwah, said the delay highlights the government’s slow and uncoordinated response to a national emergency.
“…little things like a number that one can call when one sees excavators moving, or changfans on our water bodies, we haven’t got that yet,” she said on JoyNews’ PM Express on October 6.
“Although they announced that they are setting up a call centre, after nine months, it seems to us that that’s taken a little too long.”
President John Mahama, at a meeting with CSOs on October 3, had called on the groups to intensify their advocacy and keep government under pressure to end galamsey.
But Eco-Conscious Citizens say advocacy alone is not enough without visible action.
Ms. Serwah said many Ghanaians expected the government to at least deliver “low-hanging fruits” such as a functional hotline and the repeal of Legislative Instrument 2462, but there has been no such action.
“There are some things that people would have seen as low-hanging fruit, such as the repeal of LI 2462, a common number that one can call to say that ‘the excavators are moving, can you do something about it?’” she added.
Ms. Serwah said the government should also be clear on the accountability of local authorities under whose watch illegal mining continues.
“We also would have liked an indication as to having something to do with the MCEs, the DCEs and the police when under their watch, there’s illegal mining. What are we going to do to ensure that they do something about it?” she questioned.
Citing Jema as an example, she said the town has managed to stay free of illegal mining because of strong community leadership and collaboration.
“I can give an example in Jema, for instance, we really need to applaud them. There’s no illegal mining there. Why not? Because they have a very good chief, and the community and Father Blay have come together and ensured that there’s no illegal mining in the community.”
She said it would have been useful if the President during his meeting with Civil Society Organisations at the Jubilee House, had pointed out such community success stories so others could learn from them.
“It would have been helpful if the President could have informed the meeting of why they are doing so well, so others could follow that, but there was no opportunity for that,” she noted.
“What came out of it was that, yes, special courts are going to be set up, but we really haven’t got any timeline.
“So a lot of promises about what will be done, but as to when that will be done, we’re still waiting,” she said.
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