The Ghana Coalition Against Galamsey (GCAG) has noted with great disappointment the recent stance taken by the National House of Chiefs which they believe compromises the fight against the illegal mining menace.
Amid the calls for a ban on small-scale mining and a declaration of a state of emergency to fight the galamsey menace, the President of the National House of Chiefs, Ogyeahoho Yaw Gyebi II believes the calls are over-stretched.
Ogyeahoho Yaw Gyebi II says a ban on the small-scale mining sector will lead to significant job losses particularly among the youth hence rejecting the calls for the declaration of a state of emergency.
“We are pleading to those calling for the declaration of a state of emergency, and those calling for a ban on mining should know the benefit the nation gets from mining. If we stop mining, most of our youth will be pushed out of jobs. We should adopt the right measures to regulate illegal mining so they can all do responsible mining. As for the mining, we will do it, but we will do it responsibly,” the President of the National House of Chiefs said.
This position of the House of Chiefs, the coalition believes contradicts their earlier stance and further motivates the culprits to continue destroying the country’s environment leading to serious socio-economic problems.
The coalition further indicates that the stance of the National House of Chiefs is a “shocking endorsement of illegal mining” and is more worrying since it comes from an institution mandated to be custodians of the country’s customary resources.
“The Ghana Coalition Against Galamsey, with a sense of pressing urgency, has noted with utter disappointment the position of the National House of Chiefs conveyed through its president, purporting to reject any ban on all forms of mining. National House of Chiefs has regrettably reinforced and incentivized the rampant and wanton destruction of Ghana’s environment and the commonwealth bequeathed to us by our forebears,” a statement from the coalition read.
Calling for clarity, the Coalition urged the National House of Chiefs to reconsider their position on galamsey and take a stronger stance against the menace, emphasizing the need for leadership at such a critical time for the country’s future.
“As custodians of the customary resources of the various communities, the House has a crucial role to play in protecting these resources from the ravages of illegal mining,” the Coalition insisted. They called on the chiefs to align with the forces fighting galamsey, a scourge that threatens the lives of both present and future generations.
The Coalition remains hopeful that with decisive action, positive change in the fight against galamsey is not only possible but inevitable.
