President of the Responsible Small-Scale Miners Association of Ghana, Philip Bawa, has criticized law enforcement agencies for their alleged corruption, claiming they hinder efforts to combat illegal mining, commonly referred to as “galamsey.”
His remarks come in the wake of the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) announcing a new initiative to collaborate with small-scale miners in an effort to address the growing galamsey crisis.
This partnership aims to promote responsible mining practices and strengthen the fight against illegal operations that have caused significant environmental damage throughout the country.
However, speaking on Adom FM’s morning programme Dwaso Nsem on Wednesday, Mr Bawa argues that, the pervasive corruption within law enforcement undermines these efforts.
“Law enforcement agencies are too corrupt to help fight galamsey. Every checkpoint you encounter is a potential source of bribery,” he stated.
Philip Bawa further called for a more systematic approach in solving the menace.
“The Minerals Commission, which is responsible for enforcing mining laws, has failed to do so due to a lack of human resources and logistics. The Commission only has 9 offices across the entire country, with just one officer, one assistant, and one pickup truck covering vast mining districts. In addition, many of the roads in these areas are in poor condition. Therefore, there is a need for more personnel and resources to enforce regulations effectively,” he said.
Source: Adomonline
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