Accra: Dr Ken Ashigbey, Convener for the Media Coalition Against Illegal Mining, has attributed the rise in illegal mining to leadership failure. He stated that those tasked with curbing the menace are actively involved and benefiting from it.
According to Ghana News Agency, Dr. Ashigbey spoke at a public lecture in Accra on the theme ‘Galamsey Revisited,’ organised by the Ghana Academy of Arts and Sciences. He described illegal mining as a syndicated organised crime requiring urgent intervention. He criticised both the New Patriotic Party and the National Democratic Congress, accusing them of failing to adequately address illegal mining due to their members’ involvement in the act.
Dr. Ashigbey, who is also the Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Chamber of Telecommunications, called for punitive measures against offenders, stating that holding individuals accountable would restore public trust and improve governance. He warned that illegal mining is no longer just an environmental threat but an ecological disaster, demanding a multifaceted approach to address the crisis.
He emphasised the urgency of the issue, calling for a bold and decisive movement to address the crisis, while urging leadership to take immediate action to halt further environmental degradation. Dr. Ashigbey called on President John Mahama to declare a state of emergency focused on the country’s water bodies, citing severe pollution caused by illegal mining.
Dr. Ashigbey explained that a state of emergency would allow the government to implement measures to tackle the crisis and restore natural resources. Illegal mining, he stressed, has caused significant damage to cocoa farms, contributing to a 40 per cent decline in Ghana’s cocoa production between 2023 and 2024.
He urged the government to revoke mining laws that permit operations in forest reserves, warning that such activities accelerate environmental degradation. Mr. Erastus Asare Donkor, a renowned journalist, highlighted the devastating impact of illegal mining on rivers and forests, noting that water bodies such as the Pra, Ankobra, and Birim are heavily polluted.
Mr. Donkor cautioned that communities that relied on these rivers for drinking water and agriculture face serious risks. He called for stronger regulations and enforcement, urging authorities to implement alternative livelihood programmes and integrate technology into regulatory frameworks to combat illegal mining effectively.