The President of the Ghana Bar Association (GBA), Yaw Boafo, has expressed concern about the failure of previous and current governments to firmly address the galamsey menace facing the country.
It is on the back of this that he has called on government and all other relevant institutions to take decisive actions against the menace.
Mr. Boafo made this call when he was delivering a speech at the 2023 Ghana Bar Conference at the University of Cape Coast on Monday, September 11, 2023, lamenting that the problem has persisted because government has continuously dealt with the issue with kid’s gloves.
“Despite the efforts and assurance to deal with the menace, there appears to be a general consensus that not much has been done to effectively and roundly deal with it. The GBA holds the view that a lot more can be done to effectively deal with the menace that poses a threat to our survival, especially in this period of climate change concerns.
“We call on government, political leadership and key stakeholders to show more political will and integrity in decisively dealing with the galamsey menace,” he said.
He therefore urged government to target the main players behind the activity, rather than arresting the youth who are being used.
“This can be done if the real powers behind the galamsey menace are identified and dealt with in accordance with law. Galamsey is a capital-intensive illegal activity. The heavy-duty equipment and other machinery and chemicals used in galamsey cannot be afforded and purchased by young men and women who get arrested on galamsey sites.
“One does not need to possess clairvoyant powers to ascertain that galamsey can only thrive if powerful persons in society are actively funding such menace. The reasonable and irresistible conclusion is that it is controlled and funded by a network of public officials, politicians, traditional rulers and wealthy and powerful interests.
“Indeed, we’ll be playing the ostrich with our future if we pretend as we are at the moment. The government must be honest and bold and fish out these evil actors of powerful interest engaged in wanting distraction of our environment and deal with them decisively.”
