The Kwaebibirem DCE, Hon. Seth Antwi Bosiako has shown the best way to fight illegal or unapproved mining. He used the Power of the State entrusted in his hands to stop ELITE MINING COMPANY despite the excuses by the company. It was a simple command, “YOU CANNOT MINE, THERE IS A NATIONAL MORATORIUM ON MINING.”
Readers would recall that TNF in the last edition of May 16 – 22, 2017 ran a story captioned “STOP GALAMSEY - YfAG Charges Akyem Dompem - ELITE Mining reported!” Following that publication, the District Chief Executive invited the Management of the Company to his office for an interaction. At the meeting, he simply told them they could not mine. Despite the excuses by the company that they had moved equipment to site at high cost, he demanded of them to move the machines away.
TNF scouts in the area have gathered that the company has not as yet moved their equipment from the site. There is the belief among some residents that they may be operating under the cover of darkness. Sounds of moving machines are heard in the night while the residents of Dompem sleep.
Meanwhile, the Honourable District Chief Executive is still engaged in efforts to bring the activities of Elite Mining Company to closure. He is relying solely on the directive from the Presidency and the Ministry of Natural Resources, Lands and Forestry as well as the relevant laws of the nation.
The example of the Kwaebibirem DCE is worthy of emulation by other occupants of State Office. If all other public office holders were to act same, the fight against the illegal exploitation of gold and other natural resources would be easy.
TNF, has also gathered that the initial impetus that these illegal activities gain arise from the condoning posture of traditional leaders at the mention of mining. Most of the traditional leaders who fall prey come under the false impression that mining guarantees development and brings progress. On the contrary, a research conducted by the Institute of Statistical, Social and Economic Research in 2005 concluded that “the closer you get to mining communities, the more pronounced poverty is” in Ghana.
In the end, by the time they realise the error of judgement or misconception, they would have given some grounding or impetus to the companies whose sole aim is profit, profit at all cost.
The fight against galamsey would not and cannot be won by some singular effort. It would take the synergic and collaborative effort of all citizens. We all owe Ghana and ourselves the duty to rise to the occasion to save the nation from further wreck and havoc.
Even marine life in the sea is not spared from the scary damage of galamsey activities. A recent visit to the estuary where the Ankobra River joins the Atlantic Ocean at Axim show the damning effect of galamsey on marine life.
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