By Prince Ahenkorah
The President of the Republic of Ghana, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, has reaffirmed his commitment to ending illegal mining, as demanded by organized labour and other unions.
However, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) remains resolute in stating that the fight against galamsey, purposefully staged by organized labour, is politically motivated and aligns with the National Democratic Congress’s (NDC) election strategy, as a leaked confidential document reveals.
In a release dated October 9, 2024, signed by the Director of Communications at the Office of the President, Eugene Arhin, it was stated that President Akufo-Addo, has taken action in response to a press release issued by Organized Labour on October 7, 2024, calling for an immediate halt to illegal mining (galamsey) in, and around water bodies and forest reserves.
The Director indicated that “In a demonstration of Government’s commitment to tackling the issue, President Akufo-Addo, through the relevant sector ministers, invited the leadership of Organized Labour to a meeting held on Tuesday, October 8, 2024, at the Ministry of Employment and Labour Relations.”
The release, further stated that following the meeting, the President outlined measures to address their concerns.
The President has directed the Minister for Defense to deploy additional military forces to intensify the ongoing “Operation Halt,” which aims to curb illegal mining activities.
This operation will be bolstered by the deployment of naval boats on polluted river bodies to ensure the immediate cessation of all mining activities, legal or illegal, in and around these water bodies.
Additionally, the President, has instructed the Ministry of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation, along with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), to suspend the enforcement of the Environmental Protection (Mining in Forest Reserves) Regulations, 2023 (L.I. 2462), with immediate effect.
In a bid to enhance legal action against illegal mining activities, four dedicated courts have already been established.
The President, has further directed the Attorney General to work with the Chief Justice to increase the number of courts handling cases related to illegal mining.
Furthermore, the government has urged Organized Labour to encourage all presidential candidates and their political parties to sign a pact committing themselves to the fight against illegal mining as part of their election pledges.
Meanwhile, the New Patriotic Party, in a release signed by the National Youth Organizer, Salam Mustapha, stated that the strike by organized labour is politically motivated and aligns with the NDC’s political strategy for the 2024 elections.
“A confidential document titled ‘Winning 2024 and Beyond,’ prepared by the NDC in 2021, was leaked into the public domain and came to our attention in December 2022,” Salam Mustapha alleged.
The National Youth Organizer, indicated that the said document outlines the NDC’s strategy for the 2024 elections, and it is becoming increasingly evident that Organized Labour is following this politically motivated plan.
“Over the past weeks, we have seen Organized Labour embark on several actions, including threatening a national strike and vocalizing strong opinions on the issue of illegal small-scale mining (galamsey)”. Mustapha Salam reiterated
He further stated that “Interestingly, this newfound activism comes on issues they have largely been silent on for years. It is highly questionable that they have only raised their voices with two months to go before the election, especially on an issue as critical as galamsey”.
He indicated that the government have made considerable efforts over the last seven years to tackle illegal mining, taking decisive actions to safeguard theenvironment and the future of natural resources.
“These actions include passing legislation with stiffer punishments, prosecuting offenders, including the famous galamsey queen, Aisha Huang, who committed crimes during Mahama’s administration and was never arrested, and using the military to seize and destroy property used for galamsey”, he highlighted, asserting that government made all these efforts, but Organized Labour was silent.
The NPP National Youth Organizer indicated that Organized Labour has conveniently ignored the significant concessions made by the government during its recent meeting with the President, which were aimed at resolving these concerns.
Despite these efforts, it is evident that Organized Labour’s current actions are politically charged, aimed at destabilizing the government, and fueled by the NDC’s strategy as outlined in the leaked document.
The Party calls on all well-meaning Ghanaians and members of the various unions under Organized Labour, to reject any attempt to politicize the fight against galamsey.
He indicated that this is a national issue that transcends party politics. The future of our environment, livelihoods, and communities depends on us coming together to fight illegal mining as one united front.
“All hands must be on deck to combat this menace and ensure the sustainable use of our natural resources. Let us put the interests of Ghana first and stop using galamsey as a political tool”. He reiterated.
