President John Dramani Mahama has delivered a forceful appeal for an end to what he called crimes against Palestinians in Gaza, urging world leaders to confront the crisis directly and to call out atrocities for what they are. Speaking at the 80th United Nations General Assembly in New York, President Mahama criticized the Assembly’s reluctance to address the situation head-on. “For nearly two years, and for the fear of reprisal, we here in this General Assembly have been playing hide-and-seek with language to find the right words to help us avoid or excuse what we all know is taking place there. But here’s the thing, it doesn’t matter what you call it: if it looks like a duck, swims like a duck, and quacks like a duck, well then… It must be a duck. The crimes in Gaza must stop,” he declared. Mahama asserted that the suffering of Palestinians could no longer be ignored, pointing to “hundreds of thousands of innocent people” enduring collective punishment and forced starvation simply because they are Palestinian. Reaffirming Ghana’s recognition of Palestine since 1988, President Mahama reiterated his support for a two-state solution, rejecting claims that this would reward Hamas. Instead, he maintained, it remains the best path toward justice and relief for civilians caught in the conflict. President Mahama also condemned the recent decision to deny visas to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and his delegation, calling it a “bad precedent” and a threat to the integrity of the United Nations system. While acknowledging other global challenges, including the rise of nationalism, economic instability, and the erosion of multilateralism, Mahama warned that the crisis in Gaza stands as a moral test for the world’s leaders. Source: Apexnewsgh.com

The Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources (MLNR), in partnership with Ghana’s security agencies, has ramped up its campaign against illegal mining, known locally as galamsey, by training and deploying more combat-ready personnel for operations across the country. Illegal mining remains one of Ghana’s most urgent environmental problems, leaving forests, rivers, and farmlands ravaged. Experts caution that contaminated water and soils are reducing agricultural productivity and endangering public health. Responding to the crisis, President John Dramani Mahama instructed sector Minister Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah to suspend the issuance of new mining licenses while a comprehensive sector review is undertaken. The Minister has also petitioned the Attorney-General to repeal Legislative Instrument (L.I.) 2462, which has faced criticism from civil society for allegedly enabling galamsey activities. In a further step, the Minister launched the National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations (NAIMOS) to coordinate and strengthen anti-galamsey interventions. Officials report that NAIMOS is already yielding positive results. To consolidate these gains, NAIMOS Coordinator, Col. Buah, has introduced a specialised training programme for security officers. The training covers forest laws, land regulations, and operational protocols, equipping over a thousand personnel to deter, halt, and apprehend illegal miners at more than 44 identified flashpoints. Unlike previous efforts, the newly trained officers will be stationed permanently at affected sites and rotated regularly to maintain vigilance. The initiative also calls for close collaboration with traditional leaders, while emphasizing uncompromised enforcement. This crackdown builds on earlier interventions, such as rCOMSDEP and Blue Water Guards, aimed at safeguarding Ghana’s natural resources. Minister Armah-Kofi Buah affirmed the government’s commitment to responsible mining, declaring, “This government supports responsible mining, but we will not tolerate destruction of our environment and livelihoods.” Source: Apexnewsgh.com

Former Member of Parliament for Anyaa Sowutuom, Dr. Dickson Adomako Kissi, has called for the Ghana Gold Board (GoldBod) to bear the cost of water treatment in the wake of a proposed 281 percent tariff increase by Ghana Water Limited (GWL) Former Anyaa Sowutuom MP, Dr. Dickson Adomako Kissi, is urging the Ghana Gold Board (GoldBod) to shoulder the cost of water treatment in response to Ghana Water Limited’s (GWL) proposed 281 percent tariff hike. GWL has applied for regulatory approval to raise water tariffs from GH¢5.28 to GH¢20.09 per cubic metre, citing mounting debts, operational challenges, and the soaring expense of treating water tainted by illegal mining activities, popularly known as galamsey. Speaking on Accra-based media , Dr. Adomako Kissi argued that it is unjust for ordinary Ghanaians to absorb these costs. He pointed out that GoldBod, which profits from purchasing gold from both legal and illegal miners, should be held responsible for the environmental damage inflicted on Ghana’s water bodies. “The GoldBod has made a huge amount of money, which they have flaunted; they have told everybody. Why must I pay for the water treatment as a Ghanaian? Why must I bear that burden? I really think that the revenue from gold that has been flaunted everywhere, a portion of that should be used to work on all the water facilities in this country. I really think that the true beneficiary of the damages to all of our water bodies is the gold and mining industry,” he stated. Dr. Adomako Kissi further contended that it is unfair for Ghana Water Limited to pass the burden on to consumers. “The idea that Ghana Water Company wishes to increase tariffs that I and you have nothing to do with in terms of damage to our water, I think it is very wrongfully placed. As it stands now, all the gold, whether legal or illegal, goes to GoldBod, and as a matter of fact, I think they should be made to pay for all the water damages in this country,” he added. Meanwhile, GWL has defended its tariff proposal, explaining that, in addition to pollution from galamsey, factors such as foreign exchange pressures and the high cost of imported equipment and chemicals have compounded its financial difficulties. The debate highlights growing concerns over who should bear the cost of environmental damage and the broader impact of illegal mining on public utilities and consumers. Source: Apexnewsgh.com

Edward Kareweh, the former General Secretary of the General Agricultural Workers Union (GAWU), sat before the cameras, his expression grave. He had come with a warning that could not be ignored: illegal mining, known locally as galamsey, was devastating Ghana’s rubber industry. Kareweh recalled a time when rubber farmers had to contend with competition from oil palm and cocoa. “Mainly, it used to be oil palm and cocoa,” he explained. “Rubber grows where other crops also grow, so when you expand oil palm, then the land available for rubber expansion is taken away; if you expand cocoa production, then that land is also taken away. So they used to be that competition.” But now, a new and more dangerous threat had emerged. Galamsey, once limited in scale, had grown into a modern scourge. Kareweh described it as more dangerous than any challenge the industry had faced before. “The advent of the modern-day galamsey is destroying existing rubber plantations, oil palm plantations, and cocoa plantations,” he stressed. Farmlands and plantations were being wiped out, leaving devastation in their wake. The crisis had become so severe that some rubber farmers, seeing no other way out, had begun selling off their plantations to illegal miners. This, Kareweh warned, was compounding the disaster, accelerating the decline of rubber production in Ghana. The consequences are already being felt. The Association of Ghana Industries (AGI) has sounded the alarm that rubber processing plants across the country are on the brink of collapse due to a severe shortage of raw materials. If the tide of galamsey is not stemmed soon, Kareweh’s warning may prove to be a grim prophecy fulfilled. The future of Ghana’s rubber industry, once a source of hope for many farmers, now hangs in the balance, threatened by the relentless advance of illegal mining. Source: Apexnewsgh.com

Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, has issued a strong warning to illegal miners, urging them to stop polluting Ghana’s rivers or face serious consequences Illegal miners operating along Ghana’s vital waterways have been put on notice. Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, has delivered a stern warning: cease polluting the nation’s rivers or be prepared to face severe repercussions. “We are sending a warning to anybody who has been violating our laws and destroying our water bodies. We are determined to turn them blue again. This order has already been given—stay out, or you do so at your own peril,” Buah declared during an anti-galamsey patrol with officers from the National Anti-illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS) along the heavily polluted Ankobra River, stretching from Wiawso to Akango in the Nzema East Municipality of the Western Region. Minister Buah emphasized that Ghana’s approach to illegal mining, especially activities in and around river bodies, is entering a decisive new phase. “We are moving to another major phase of our fight against illegal mining. There is no law in Ghana that allows anybody to mine in any river body,” he stressed. “Yet, our major rivers that are key to our survival are being destroyed.” He further noted that President John Dramani Mahama has directed security forces to take full control of all major river bodies as part of a robust new enforcement strategy. “In the coming months, you will see a new shift. President Mahama’s focus is clear—we are going to take direct control of every river body. There will be a clear occupation by our security forces on all the major rivers,” Buah stated. The message from the Minister is unambiguous: illegal miners must abandon their operations in Ghana’s rivers or face the full force of the law, as the government intensifies efforts to restore and protect the country’s precious water resources. Source: Apexnewsgh.com