- October 13, 2022
- Posted by: emblisha
- Category: News
PRESS STATEMENT BY THE MEDIA COALITION AGAINST GALAMSEY
Accra, October 13, 2022 – The Media Coalition Against Galamsey (MCAG) since 5th April 2017 (when it was launched) has on numerous occasions demonstrated its commitment towards the fight against Galamsey by creating awareness through public education campaigns, stakeholder engagements and townhall meetings, about the destruction of farmlands and the pollution of rivers and water bodies as a result of illegal mining (Galamsey) activities in the country.
It was the expectation of the MCAG that, the Coalition’s efforts such as carrying out public education on the ills of illegal mining activities; carrying out advocacy with stakeholders to ensure the eradication of Galamsey and to promote sustainable mining would have helped nip this menace in the bud.
However, it is apparent that Government and other relevant stakeholders have not demonstrated enough commitment and leadership towards the fight against illegal mining activities and we are currently in a worse situation than when we started. For example, the annual average turbidity levels at the Daboase headworks on the Pra river has worsened from 1,180 in 2020, 2,588 in 2021 and 2634 in 2022.
In view of this, the Media Coalition Against Galamsey believes that urgent and radical measures need to be adopted by Government that will result in positive change of the state of our water bodies and preservation of our environment for our survival and that of the future generation.
The Coalition is therefore urging Government as a matter of urgency to:
- Order all small-scale mining activities to stop IMMEDIATELY to allow our water bodies and forests to begin to be restored and strategize a way to bring sanity to all surface mining activities in Ghana.
- Ensure that the Minerals and Mining Act, 2006 (Act 703), as amended, is enforced without fear or favour. ‘Powerful’ people involved in Galamsey activities in the country should be exposed and sanctioned to serve as a deterrent.
- Arrest, investigate and prosecute everyone involved in the illegality including the Akonta Mining Limited and its Directors, Bernard Antwi Bosiako and Kwame Antwi, for illegally mining in the Tano Nimiri Forest Reserve as well as breaching (Section 99(6) of the Minerals and Mining Act, 2006 (Act 703), as amended by mining very close along the banks of Tano River.
- Sack any MCE/DCE in whose areas of jurisdiction illegal mining has taken place and still continues based on evidence on the ground.
- Ministers and their deputies whose responsibility it is to regulate the mining sector, have failed Ghana. They must also be sacked for disappointing present and unborn generations.
- Explore the provision of gainful, alternative employment to persons engaged in Galamsey.
- Ensure that the above punitive measures are implemented before Farmer’s Day this year as these activities directly impact adversely the efforts of our gallant farmers.
The MCAG has studied the Galamsey phenomenon from all possible viewpoints and has concluded that there is and can be no conceivable justification for illegal mining to continue in Ghana.
The Media Coalition Against Galamsey is therefore calling on well-meaning Ghanaians, Civil Society Organizations to join hands with the media to help mount continued pressure on our Leaders, both Political and Traditional to help save Ghana’s water bodies and preserve our environment for future generations.
Losing this war is not an option. Irresponsible and unsustainable mining is an existential threat and should not be countenanced.
Issued by:
Media Coalition Against Galamsey
About Media Coalition Against Galamsey
The Media Coalition Against Galamsey (MCAG) #StopGalamsey, is made up of all media organisations in Ghana namely, private radio and television stations represented by the Ghana Independent Broadcasters Association (GIBA), the Graphic Communications Group Limited (GCGL), New Times Corporation (NTC), private newspapers represented by the Private Newspaper Publishers Association of Ghana (PRINPAG), Ghana Journalists Association (GJA), Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC), Ghana News Agency (GNA), Penplusbytes (New Media Hub) and the Ghana Community Radio Network (GCRN). The coalition also works with other stakeholders including the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE), Occupy Ghana, Muslim Community, and Christian Council of Ghana.
The focus of the campaign against illegal mining activities is not limited to gold exploitation, but includes all mining offences committed under the Minerals and Mining Act, 2006 (Act 703) based on the premise that the 1992 Constitution of the Republic of Ghana, states that any mining activity that takes place without ratification by Parliament is illegal.