The Progressive People’s Party (PPP) has tasked the President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to find a lasting solution to the illegal mining, popularly known as galamsey within 90 days.
Chairman of the party, Nii Allotey Brew Hammond said at a press conference that the party would not hesitate to haul the President before the International Criminal Court (ICC) for crimes against humanity if the government fails to deal with the menace.
“We are giving the Akufo Addo led-government a three month ultimatum to STOP GALAMSEY operation in Ghana. Failure to do so shall compel us to drag him to the International Criminal Court (ICC) for crimes against humanity,” he said.
The country is currently on a mission to end galamsey which is depleting the country’s lands and polluting its waters.
The fight against the menace has gained the endorsement of several civil society groups and the media.
But the PPP chairman said the NDC and the NPP which have been in power in 1992 have lacked the political will to solve tackle the menace and that is partly to blame for the country’s failure to deal with it.
“We expect the NPP government to gather the political will to prosecute and extradite all foreign galamseyers from Ghana so that our farmers can cultivate more crops to improve their individual livelihoods and that of the nation collectively. Can a Ghanaian travel to China or any other country to destroy their water bodies? Will they be spared? Or will leaders of such countries tolerate our leaders, calling on their citizens who complain to order as the Chinese are asking us to do?” he quizzed.
Below is the full statement from the PPP on the galamsey menace:
Ladies and gentlemen, we are all aware of illegal mining in Ghana and how that has already poisoned majority of the nation’s water bodies, degraded farm lands and is threatening to dry up sources of treatable water, to the extent that we would have to import safe drinking water in less than five years, if the galamsey menace is not stopped with immediate effect.
The devastation of our environment by galamsey did not start today. It has been round for decades under the watch of both NDC and NPP administrations that have, by their omissions and commissions benefitted from its proceeds while in government but turn around to blame the other when in opposition and vice versa.
It is recalled sadly, how in the heat of the 2016 election campaigns, some illegal miners in Obuasi demonstrated against a quit order from the Minerals Commission ordering them to stop gold mining within the concession of Anglogold Ashanti (AGA). The NDC, then seeking re-election looked on for the illegal miners to have their way, because it feared enforcing the quit orders would affect its electoral fortunes.
Reliable information in our possession from the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources indicates that 60% to 70% of excavators in Ghana are not used for road construction but rather, illegal mining activities.
The question is; how are the excavators able to move to the mining sites without the knowledge of the Police and the security agencies? Can the NDC and NPP who have ruled this country for 25 years, say they are not aware of the destruction such illegal activities have caused to our farm lands, water bodies, forest reserves and the general health of our people? Is it true that a former Minister for Lands and Natural Resources issued licenses to the Chinese for $40,000.00?
Cocoa farmers have been compelled to sell their farm lands for galamsey cash because the state has failed to guarantee the safety and security of their investments as farmers. No wonder, Ghana continues to experience a reduction of about 100,000 tons per annum in the production of cocoa, contributing to the global reduction trends expected to hit about one million tons.
We simply cannot allow illegal miners to destroy our cocoa growing regions like; the Brong Ahafo, Western, Ashanti and Eastern Regions, all because some people have decided to mine outside the law, and operate their mining activities in prohibited areas in gross violation of the Minerals and Mining Act, 2006 (703).
To that end, we want to commend the recently launched media coalition against illegal mining and encourage them to continue with the concerted effort to help put a stop to galamsey in Ghana. We want to assure the coalition that they have a reliable partner in the PPP as a party in opposition and PPP as a party soon to be in government. We want to send a warning shot to both private and public sector actors that the environment in Ghana is no longer their playground.
We expect the NPP government to gather the political will to prosecute and extradite all foreign galamseyers from Ghana so that our farmers can cultivate more crops to improve their individual livelihoods and that of the nation collectively. Can a Ghanaian travel to China or any other country to destroy their water bodies? Will they be spared? Or will leaders of such countries tolerate our leaders, calling on their citizens who complain to order as the Chinese are asking us to do?
We wish to assure Ghanaians that such unwarranted provocation and disrespect for our sovereignty will never happen under the watch of a PPP government. It is our fervent hope that the devastation caused by galamsey will not continue to be lost on the NPP administration and that they will find it necessary to deal with it surgically without fear or favour. We are giving the Akufo Addo led-government a three month ultimatum to STOP GALAMSEY operation in Ghana. Failure to do so shall compel us to drag him to the International Criminal Court (ICC) for crimes against humanity.