Former Central Minister, Kwamena Duncan has called on the government to name and shame people engaged in illegal mining, as part of measures to curb the menace.
Illegal mining, popularly known as galamsey, is one of the country's miseries as the communities where this kind of mining is undertaken is majorly ruined and the country's waterbodies as well as environment all also polluted.
Successive governments have tried to tackle the issue but have failed to end it.
However, the Akufo-Addo government has pledged to confront this national canker head-on.
The Lands and Natural Resources Ministry led by Hon. Samuel Abu Jinapor has set out to deal with the galamsey situation.
On a three-day working visit to the Western Region, Hon. Abu Jinapor, who is also the Member of Parliament for Damongo, calling on the Omanhene of Essikado Traditional Area, Nana Kobina Nketsia V, iterated his determination to address the galamsey menace.
“With your assistance, we can halt galamsey activities . . . I will stop the illegalities without fear or favour. No matter which political party is involved,” he pledged.
Speaking on Peace FM's 'Kokrokoo' programme, Kwamena Duncan supported the Lands and Natural Resources Minister's fight against galamsey but asked him to first expose the players involved in galamsey activities.
He disclosed that there are paramount Chiefs, government officials and some security agents among others who have allowed greed to take over their hearts, hence compromising themselves by assisting illegal miners.
"Galamsey is a hydra-headed problem . . . today, galamsey is a national crisis . . . if we don't name and shame, look, we will beat around it and in the next 5/10 years, the country might find itself in a dangerous position.
"Chiefs, I mean paramount Chiefs, are involved. Those we look up to which are the security agencies - the Police, soldiers, forest guards - who we look up to arrest the situation, when they go and are offered bribe, they also compromise," he told Kwami Sefa Kayi on 'Kokrokoo'.
Source: Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana
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