Kofi Bentil Accuses Akufo-Addo’s Government of Failing to Stop Galamse

Vice President of IMANI Africa, Kofi Bentil, has criticized the current government's approach to tackling illegal small-scale mining, popularly known as galamsey. Speaking on JoyNews' Newsfile on Saturday, August 22, Mr Bentil said that the current administration is not doing enough to address the crisis.

Akufo-Addo's Government Got It Right, but the Current One Fails to Follow Suit

Although the previous Akufo-Addo administration ultimately failed to win the fight against galamsey, it made a more visible effort to confront the problem. Mr Bentil said that "Akufo-Addo's government tried and failed galamsey, but this government is not trying." He argued that the current administration's lack of effort is a significant departure from its predecessor's approach.

NAIMOS Falls Short in the Fight Against Galamsey

The government's use of the National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS) has been criticized by Mr Bentil. He described its activities as insufficient to match the scale of the crisis. The estimated number of people actively engaged in galamsey far exceeds the number of arrests recorded by the authorities, he said.

Economic Interests and Environmental Destruction

Mr Bentil questioned whether the economic interests surrounding gold were influencing the government's response to the illegal mining crisis. He said that the continued destruction of the environment, particularly water bodies and farmlands, requires government to adopt a strategy that prioritizes environmental restoration alongside enforcement. Ghana cannot afford to continue with interventions that produce limited results while the scale of illegal mining continues to grow, he added.

A Fundamental Review of the Country's Anti-Galamsey Strategy

Mr Bentil therefore called for a fundamental review of the country's anti-galamsey strategy, including greater emphasis on reclaiming degraded lands and developing policies capable of producing measurable environmental improvements. He emphasized that the current approach is insufficient and requires a more comprehensive and decisive response to tackle the crisis effectively.

Source: JOY