The National Coalition on Mining (NCOM) has issued a strong call to President John Dramani Mahama, urging him to demonstrate unwavering political will in addressing Ghana’s persistent challenge of illegal mining, commonly known as galamsey.
The coalition’s statement follows a recent meeting between President Mahama and civil society organisations at the Jubilee House.
According to NCOM, the success of any anti-galamsey initiative hinges on the President’s willingness to take decisive action against individuals within his government and the ruling NDC party who are allegedly complicit in illegal mining. “The key political question remains: Will President Mahama have the political courage to act against those in his government and the NDC who are known or rumoured to be galamsey kingpins and facilitators? That ultimately will be the touchstone for the success or failure of any anti-galamsey programme,” the coalition stated.
While commending President Mahama’s renewed commitment to the fight, NCOM emphasised that galamsey is a deeply rooted national issue that cannot be resolved through military crackdowns or short-term interventions alone. The coalition urged the government to craft a comprehensive strategy addressing the social, economic, and institutional drivers behind illegal mining.
“Galamsey is not just a law-and-order problem , it is deeply rooted in governance failures, poverty, and corruption,” NCOM noted, advocating for long-term investments in rural development, job creation, and reforms in the small-scale mining sector.
NCOM also stressed the need for enhanced collaboration between the state, civil society, and local communities, pointing out that previous ad hoc operations have failed to deliver lasting results and, at times, led to human rights abuses and economic hardship.
The coalition concluded that Ghana’s success in eliminating galamsey will depend not only on strong policies and enforcement, but on the political integrity and determination of its leadership to challenge vested interests benefiting from environmental destruction.
Source: Apexnewsgh.com
