GALAMSEY FIGHT: GENUINE OR A SHAM?

Readers of this blog will remember this story on the fight against illegal mining. It was published by the bonanzah in June 2023. Here’s an upgraded version of it. At this moment, shall we all concede defeat in the fight against galamsey? At least we tried—or better still, pretended to try. We used all the tactics we know; persuasive, “buga-buga,” and everything in between. We talked tough—deployed legions of police and military, sent them after the operators, burnt their machines, confiscated some (which disappeared into thin air, by the way), arrested and jailed a few, and employed other such tactics.

Yet, akin to the Greek mythological Medusa, several heads sprang up wherever the government ostensibly cut one off. Isn’t it a curious paradox that the galamsey menace worsens as the fight against it supposedly intensifies? Recent videos circulating in the media show rivers murkier than before—sludge-like in appearance—while vegetation continues to be devastated. As for the politics and the NATO (No Action, Talk Only) rhetoric, you can almost taste the frustration in the air. The president once promised to put his presidency on the line in this battle, but perhaps it’s his inaction that’s truly on display.

We all saw this coming. When the crackdown focused only on the young men struggling in the mud for mere pittances, it was clear the fight was a losing one. How else do excavators vanish without a trace? Why would the President absolve Akonta Mining, owned by a key political figure, even before the conclusion of an investigation? Aisha Huang, a notorious figure in illegal mining, was initially set free—only to be rearrested when she returned to the country to engage in the same criminal activities. This masquerade has always been a smokescreen for complicity.

The stubbornness of galamsey operators, it seems, is bolstered by the awareness that companies owned by politicians are deeply involved in the very trade they claim to be fighting. Why would small-scale operators stop when they see the large-scale destruction caused by those with political backing? Their operations, compared to that of politically connected entities, are but a drop in the bucket.

The final blow to this charade came when the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Illegal Mining, tasked with leading the charge, imploded under accusations and counter-accusations. The findings of the committee, which implicated top government officials, have been ignored or discredited. Its chair, Professor Frimpong-Boateng, has been arrested and granted bail, while Charles Bissue seeks refuge under court injunctions to evade an arrest warrant from the Office of the Special Prosecutor.

A fight against galamsey? Or a calculated scheme to maintain appearances while the powers-that-be profit from the very industry they claim to combat? Millions have been spent on boats, helicopters, and other equipment, but what we truly need is simple: political will. A genuine one!

Fast-forward to today, and the situation is even more dire. Illegal mining activities are surging, emboldened by the lack of decisive action. Pressure groups have taken to the streets, demanding accountability and an end to the environmental destruction. These protests have not come without cost—many demonstrators have been arrested and detained without bail. In a rare show of unity, the Catholic community recently joined the chorus of opposition, staging their own protests against the devastation caused by galamsey.

Even the academic sector is not spared—university lecturers have gone on strike in solidarity with the call for better environmental stewardship. Meanwhile, the labor unions, initially set to join the fray with a nationwide strike, aborted their plans just a day before their scheduled action.

So where do we stand now? It’s clearer than ever that this fight was never meant to be won. It was always a sham. What will it take to end this destruction? Not more boats or helicopters, or military but a true political will—one that serves the people and not the vested interests of a privileged few.