Member of Parliament (MP) for Tarkwa-Nsuaem constituency in the Western Region, Hon. George Mireku Duker, has called on state actors and other stakeholders to legalise activities of illegal mining, popularly known as ‘galamsey.’
According to the Tarkwa-Nsuaem lawmaker, legalising galamsey operations will create more employment opportunities for the youth in the wake of the high youth unemployment and the country’s ailing economy.
Speaking in an exclusive interview with Today, Hon. Duker, who is a member of the Parliamentary Select Committee on Mines and Energy, explained that the current approach in fighting the galamsey menace has not helped matters.
Against this background, he stressed that it was important for the country to find a more holistic way to reduce the negative impact of galamsey and maximise its huge benefits.
“One surest way to deal with the galamsey menace is to first legalise their operations, put them into groups and licence them, then we can assign people to monitor them to ensure that they conform to all the laid down rules,” he submitted.
Though Ghana has over the last decade suffered the effects of widespread illegal mining activities in various regions of the country, Hon. Duker however, was of the view that the huge destruction of river bodies, farmlands, forest reserves and farms was as a result of the way “we have handled the issue (galamsey) in the past.”
“Even the current approach where assets of operators are seized, amidst shooting and killing by security agencies have compounded the situation because these people (galamseyers) go about their operations in a rush for fear of being caught so there is little time left for them to plan,” he said.
Hon. Duker argued out that if the galamseyers were licensed, properly trained and monitored, they will take their time and work in the confines of the law and all negative activities that are associated with their operations will be eradicated or minimised.
The call by the Tarkwa-Nsuaem MP to legalise galamsey comes on the heels of the Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, John Peter Amewu’s, call for stiffer punishment for persons who flout the law by mining illegally in the country during his ministerial vetting.
The minister maintained: “as a country, we must begin to enforce some of these laws. If the House gives me the nod, I’m not going to take it lightly at all, if you refuse to do the right thing, the law will get you, and I am going to apply the law to address the ‘galamsey’ issue in the country.”
But, Hon. Duker believes that legalising galamsey operations in a confined space will be more beneficial than a total ban which has not yielded any results.
“Legalising it will open the economy and create more jobs which will translate into wealth generation”, he pointed out.
Water bodies including the Brim and Pra Rivers have been rendered undrinkable, because illegal mining activities have left the them polluted.
Source: Today
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Compared to many African countries Ghana lacks the needed man power in many sectors. Our telecom service providers and isps aren't guaranteeing cybersecurity and safety. Many crimes are being committed on the various networks by the workers. Akufo-Addo must ensure that the National Communication Authority has more competent people, that cybersecurity is improved and ipv6 deployed. More crimes are being committed on these networks than any other place in Ghana
Fooolish, short sighted, childish and evil MP, stop propagating this evil in the minds of our youth. No where on this earth could one find such a degradation on our environment. Because of galamsey we are losing rivers, arable lands and other natural resources.So Mr. MP advise the youth to find themselves in the classrooms and not in the ***barred word*** for unsustanable galamsey business.
Legalize Chain Saw operators too or?
i wonder why most of you are condemning the mp, He has really shown that he understand the galamsey business,he said legalize and organize them.The government could organize these guys into groups and buy the gold from them and after they have finish with an area government can come back and refill all those for large scale farming plantation.Most of these lands are bought from the owners and if government is able to refill they become new owners.We should also bear in mind that if government sell the gold purchased from the galamsey guys the profit level could be abnormal which enable them to form a team to do the refilling.Lets not see everything as negative ,someone made mention of bonsa river,is true the river is pale shadow of its glory days the last time i visited my hometown in Ayinase,i must say that is where i developed my swimming skills but it could be restored if we drive galamsey in a different direction.Galamsey could be done without using water from the the rivers.lets use advance system of galamsey and these can be done with government support which won't be free.Well said mp.
This is very disappointing from Tarkwa MP. You are supposed to move a motion to stop it not to legalize it. We are heading towards a situation where there will be famine and drought in western region as a result of galamsy everywhere. Mr. MP, we prefer stoppage to legalization else you've started already to disappoint everyone who thinks about the future
My dear MP,you and I are all in Tarkwa and we know what these galamsey people have done bonsa river.so how could you say they should legalise such an act.please this thing won't help us.
EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII MP paaaa? Wow, Ghana has no future as a matter of fact with Hon. Duker been an MP. Come on, maybe the news is not accurate else ........