The Minority Caucus in Parliament has described President John Mahama’s recent engagement with Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) on illegal mining as a “publicity gimmick” aimed at diverting attention from what it calls his “failed fight against galamsey”.
In a statement released on Monday, the Caucus said the meeting, which was intended to discuss the government’s strategies to combat illegal mining, rather sought to “downplay the urgency” of Ghana’s deepening environmental crisis.
“It is clear that the encounter with the CSOs was a publicity stunt calculated to cover up the Government’s failed attempts at dealing with illegal mining,” the statement read.
The Minority argued that despite growing concerns over the destruction of forests and water bodies, the government has failed to show genuine political will to tackle the problem. The Caucus cited recent findings by Pure Earth and the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA), which revealed high levels of contamination in soils and food crops.
“Amid increasing turbidity levels and the glaring browning of our water bodies, the President of the Republic could look into the eyes of Ghanaians and tell us he is winning the fight against illegal mining. This is shocking,” the statement added.
The Caucus praised the Akufo-Addo administration for what it described as “decisive measures” to address the menace, including the establishment of the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Illegal Mining (IMCIM), Operation Vanguard, and amendments to the Minerals and Mining Act to strengthen penalties for offenders.
It also pointed to several operational and policy reforms under the former government—such as banning mining in forest reserves, launching Operation Halt II, trained some four thousand (4000) small scale miners to undertake responsible and environmentally-sound small scale mining practices, trained 200 river guards, and introducing mercury-free gold processing equipment—as evidence of a structured fight against illegal mining.
However, the Minority insists that the current administration has “renamed old initiatives without results.”
“Without a doubt, this Government lacks the political will to fight galamsey and has merely resorted to renaming policies introduced by the Akufo-Addo Government,” said Kwaku Ampratwum-Sarpong, Ranking Member on the Lands and Natural Resources Committee.
The statement further warned that illegal mining continues to pose severe environmental and health risks, including polluted rivers, unsafe railway lines, and irreversible damage to vital organs through contaminated food and water.
“Ghanaians can no longer be subjected to propaganda and publicity gimmicks in place of genuine solutions. The nation requires competent and effective governance in the public interest,” the statement concluded.
The Minority is calling on Civil Society Organisations, the clergy, and traditional leaders to speak out against what it describes as “government negligence” and urged President Mahama to move beyond rhetoric to demonstrate “real political will” in ending the galamsey crisis.
