Government lacks the seriousness to fight galamsey – Edem Senanu
The Co-Chair, Citizens Movement Against Corruption, Edem Senanu, has criticised the Akufo-Addo government for its lack of seriousness in the fight against illegal mining, popularly known as galamsey.
According to him, the government has not demonstrated any seriousness to win the battle against the galamsey menace, which has destroyed water bodies and farmlands.
There is currently a surge in galamsey activities after the government failed to attempt to win the fight after it launched a military operation called Operation Halt II and Operation Vanguard to halt illegal mining in forest reserves and water bodies.
Speaking to Daakyehene Ofosu Agyemang, host of the New-based Adinkra Radio Morning show, Edem Senanu was surprised the government, with all the state apparatus at its disposal, has failed to put an end to illegal mining in Ghana.
“It is shocking that we have not been able to win the fight against Galamsey. If our president and everybody were serious, with an army and police, this thing should have stopped long ago. Obviously, they are not serious. It means that they themselves are conflicted or complicit. We have not been able to stop this galamsey when we know it is affecting people’s lives, affecting water bodies, and affecting the cocoa industry. Come on, no, they are not just serious.
“Now, they are saying that NDC did worse; in eight years, you have not been able to give us the names of the NDC people involved. Prof. Frimpong Boateng came and told us that some of the top people in your government are involved in galamsey. You put him as if he was not serious, and now, look at where we are. It is so shocking; it is almost like we don’t have a government or anybody there who wants to protect the people,” Edem Senanu said.
The Board Member of the African Union Advisory Board Against Corruption called for citizens action to deal with galamsey, as it’s obvious that the government has become helpless in putting an end to the menace.
“Now, it has to be citizen action because the experts are saying that they can only purify 40% of water, but in four years, we may not even be able to get any water at all. We don’t have time now; we can’t be waiting for government. At this point, citizens must hold hands together and say enough is enough. If we don’t, I don’t know what will happen to us.
“Now, everywhere we see that something is going wrong, we have to do citizen arrests for government. The people in government are part of the problem. It has gotten to the point where the only time the government will listen to the people is when there’s citizen action. Something that the president told us that he will put his presidency on the line; there’s a crisis, and they are not talking,” Edem Senanu added.
Source: Adinkiraradio.com
