Jerry Ahmed Shaib, the Second Deputy Minority Whip and MP for Weija-Gbawe, has claimed that illegal mining—popularly known as galamsey—has worsened significantly under the current administration.
Shaib alleged that the government is essentially using “galamsey money” to prop up the economy, even suggesting that the Gold Board has been turned into a body that purchases gold sourced from illegal miners.
The MP expressed deep concern over the continued destruction of Ghana’s forest reserves. He questioned the government’s narrative of economic stability in the face of environmental collapse.
”The government claims it has made so much money and that the cedi is stable, but the question is: what is happening to our environment? There is ongoing devastation. Galamsey activities have increased—it is even happening within some schools—and yet these are not the issues being prioritized,” Shaib stated.
He further accused the government of accepting “blood money,” arguing that the nation’s financial gains are built on the back of a crisis that is killing citizens and destroying water bodies.
The Deputy Minority Whip dismissed the government’s claims of economic achievement as “pure propaganda” and “dangerous experiments,” noting that any alleged gains are not reflected in the lives of ordinary Ghanaians.
He also took aim at the government’s flagship 24-hour economy proposal, accusing the administration of failing to move past the rhetoric.
Ahmed Shaib noted that despite the “noise” surrounding the policy, the government is only now considering a paper for review and planning to establish a new Authority.
He alleged that those who should be holding the government accountable have “gone to sleep” because they are either working with or being supported by the administration.
The lawmaker stressed with a grim assessment of the country’s direction, citing a recent helicopter crash as a missed opportunity for the government to take a stand against galamsey.
He argued the tragedy should have served as a turning point to end galamsey in honor of the victims. Instead, he claimed, the government continues to chase “blood money” to manage the country’s affairs.
”If we don’t talk about these things, our nation is under siege,” he warned. “People are dying and contracting diseases because of the manner in which our water bodies are being messed up.”
