Civil Society Group; Citizens for Accountable Governance (CEFAG) wants “well-meaning Ghanaians” to condemn the “hypocritical stance taken by the President on the galamsey situation in Ghana.
Speaking at a Press conference held in Obuasi, the group expressed several grievances as far as politics and galamsey are concerned.
“Ladies and gentlemen, whilst campaigning to be President in 2016, then candidate Akufo-Addo at a mini rally in Abura in the Ahanta West Constituency, assured the people who are mostly engaged in ‘galamsey’ that contrary to speculations by the NDC that he (Akufo-Addo) would stop ‘galamsey’ when elected, he would rather make ‘galamsey’ thrive. Addressing the crowd, he said, “I once promised you that I will regularize small-scale mining to ensure that the youth 
will find work to do. Shortly afterwards, Mahama also came here to tell you that I was lying, and that an Akufo-Addo government will rather sack everyone involved in ‘galamsey.’ When he won, he rather directed soldiers to come and drive out all persons involved in ‘galamsey’ in Obuasi and other areas. That is the legacy the NDC will be leaving behind,” Akufo- Addo noted. Nana Addo appealed to the people to have confidence in him, saying that, “I will never give a promise I know I cannot keep.”
CEFAG says it is disappointed at the sudden u-turn taken by government after making such a promise.
They express admiration for the “President’s belated commitment towards the fight against ‘galamsey’ in principle” but add that they are shocked by the sudden u-turn; an action they explain is a clear use of deception to win the votes of Ghanaians.
“… candidate Akufo-Addo then, played on the keyboard of the emotions of Ghanaians and lied big time to Ghanaians when he was seeking to be President. A presidential candidate is a President in-waiting and so his utterances, actions and inactions must mirror that of a President. Candidate Akufo-Addo deceived Ghanaians brazenly when he debunked allegations that he was going to ban ‘galamsey’ when he became President. You would recall that when then President Mahama described Kyebi- Abuakwa area as the headquarters of ‘galamsey’ and justifiably so, there were persons including known NPP members from the area who took President Mahama on for speaking the bitter truth. Incidentally, Nana Addo comes from the Eastern Region and no one at the time heard him condemn the devastation of the Kyebi-Abuakwa environment caused by illegal miners.”
They are also unhappy with a seeming portrayal of President Akufo-Addo as the first President to have started a fight against illegal mining (galamsey).
Read the full statement below:
Citizens for Accountable Governance (CEFAG)
PRESS CONFERENCE ADDRESSED BY LEADERSHIP OF CEFAG, OBUASI ON THE TOPIC, “THE FIGHT AGAINST ‘GALAMSEY’ AND THE HYPOCRISY OF IT”
DATE: Monday, 08/05/2017
Good afternoon Ladies and Gentlemen of the media! We invite you here this afternoon to address you on matters of national importance. Thank you for honouring our invitation even though the notice was short. You are all warmly welcome.
Ladies and gentlemen of media, the fight against illegal small-scale mining, otherwise known as ‘galamsey’, did not start under His Excellency Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, President of the Republic of Ghana, albeit others may have argued that the fight against ‘galamsey’ seems to have been given a much stronger impetus under the current government. Past Presidents and regimes have instituted measures to fight against illegal small-scale mining which undoubtedly poses a serious threat to the environment and water bodies for that matter. Every well-meaning Ghanaian must be concerned about the growing phenomenon of ‘galamsey’ and its devastating impact on the environment. The recent report by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) that Ghana may soon import water from neighbouring countries if ‘galamsey’ is not checked, underscores the seriousness of the problem. It is in this vein that we applaud previous governments and the current government for taking steps to stem the tide, as it were.
Having said this, Citizens for Accountable Governance (CEFAG), a civil society group based in Obuasi, believes that a menace like ‘galamsey’ which has become a national security threat should be fought by all Ghanaians regardless of our different political, religious and ethnic orientations. Under no circumstance should the issue be politicized, it must be emphasized. CEFAG was in a state of utter consternation to have learnt that the President of the Republic has categorically damned all consequences relative to his resolve to fight ‘galamsey.’ We admire the President’s belated commitment towards the fight against ‘galamsey’ in principle but we are at the same time shocked at the sudden u-turn he has taken. It is abundantly clear that President Nana Akufo-Addo, candidate Akufo-Addo then, played on the keyboard of the emotions of Ghanaians and lied big time to Ghanaians when he was seeking to be President. A presidential candidate is a President in-waiting and so his utterances, actions and inactions must mirror that of a President. Candidate Akufo-Addo deceived Ghanaians brazenly when he debunked allegations that he was going to ban ‘galamsey’ when he became President. You would recall that when then President Mahama described Kyebi- Abuakwa area as the headquarters of ‘galamsey’ and justifiably so, there were persons including known NPP members from the area who took President Mahama on for speaking the bitter truth. Incidentally, Nana Addo comes from the Eastern Region and no one at the time heard him condemn the devastation of the Kyebi-Abuakwa environment caused by illegal miners. It is such crass show of hypocrisy by Nana Addo that CEFAG highlights for public condemnation.
Ladies and gentlemen, whilst campaigning to be President in 2016, then candidate Akufo-Addo at a mini rally in Abura in the Ahanta West Constituency, assured the people who are mostly engaged in ‘galamsey’ that contrary to speculations by the NDC that he (Akufo-Addo) would stop ‘galamsey’ when elected, he would rather make ‘galamsey’ thrive. Addressing the crowd, he said, “I once promised you that I will regularize small-scale mining to ensure that the youth will find work to do. Shortly afterwards, Mahama also came here to tell you that I was lying, and that an Akufo-Addo government will rather sack everyone involved in ‘galamsey.’ When he won, he rather directed soldiers to come and drive out all persons involved in ‘galamsey’ in Obuasi and other areas. That is the legacy the NDC will be leaving behind,” Akufo- Addo noted. Nana Addo appealed to the people to have confidence in him, saying that, “I will never give a promise I know I cannot keep.”
As if candidate Akufo- Addo’s empty promises relative to ‘galamsey’ were not enough; whilst addressing residents of Obuasi on Friday, July 15, 2016, he repeated same deception that he was going to regularize ‘galamsey’ to provide jobs for the youth when he became President. He again accused President Mahama and the NDC of harassing ‘galamseyers’ in the country. Fast forward, what is the attitude of President Akufo-Addo today? What did he not say on Wednesday, April 26, 2017 at Soabe in the Eastern Region regarding his fight against ‘galamsey?’ What haven’t current appointees, especially the Deputy Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Benito Owusu Bio, said as regards the fight against ‘galamsey?’ It is apparent that the current government seeks to create the impression that it is committed to fighting illegal small-scale mining. The hypocrisy of the government towards the fight against ‘galamsey’ is glaring and must be condemned by all Ghanaians. Candidate Nana Addo said he would never give a promise he cannot keep. Has he kept his promise of making sure that ‘galamsey’ thrives? It is laughable that Nana Addo only saw the need to fight against ‘galamsey’ regardless of any consequences now that he is President. As a presidential candidate, Nana Addo viewed ‘galamsey’ as a good practice ; capable of providing jobs for the youth and so must be regularized and sustained. That view has suddenly been jettisoned by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo. Now, he sees the fight against ‘galamsey’ as fulfilling God’s purpose and a propeller of the nation’s development. Interesting! It is instructive to add that the government’s recent directive to all illegal small-scale miners to vacate their sites or face the full rigours of the law is discriminatory and a charade. CEFAG can confirm that some persons who have links with the NPP are still on site mining illegally despite the government’s ban. Persons who are purportedly members of the opposition NDC have all been sacked, albeit some are legal small- scale miners. This is a worrying development since partisan politics has crept in the fight against ‘galamsey.’ Besides, the recent swoop by the Obuasi Immigration Officers on a tipp-off by some concerned community members at Bepotenten, a village in the Amansie Central District, reveals government’s complicity in illegal small-scale mining. On Silver FM today Monday, May 8, 2017, the Obuasi Immigration Office disclosed that some government officials called the immigration office and ordered that the Chinese illegal miners who were arrested be released immediately. This exposes the hypocrisy of the government in fighting against the menace.
CEFAG believes that the approach adopted by the government in its bid to exterminate illegal small-scale mining was not well thought out. It appears to be a knee-jerk approach and an overstretched one. We think that some segregation relative to what is illegal and legal small-scale mining should and must have been done. What it does appear to be the notion now is that all forms of small-scale mining are illegal. Persons who are legally and responsibly operating small-scale mining have been affected by the war the government has waged against illegal small-scale mining. This, we think, is an overkill and an infringement on the rights of those affected persons. It is an incontrovertible fact that not all small-scale mining activities pollute water bodies. In fact, our laws allow small-scale mining. The problem we face as a country is enforcement of our mining laws and that is the gravamen of the problem. The mining sector seems to be suffering from unregulation. The sector is seriously unregulated and we think that is where the government should be looking at. If our mining laws are applied to the letter, no one can mine in a water body or on a river course. If the laws work the way they should, no one can mine on a forest reserve.
On the whole, CEFAG appreciates the importance of the environment to our very survival as humans and any attempt to destroy it must be resisted with all our will and might. We support any war on illegal mining; be it small-scale, medium-scale or large-scale. What is illegal should never be countenanced by any well-meaning Ghanaian. The hypocrisy and demagoguery being displayed by President Akufo-Addo and his NPP government is, however, what must be condemned by all Ghanaians. Never again should any politician play on the keyboard of our emotions. Never again should Ghanaians be allowed to be brazenly deceived by any politician on the altar of patriotism and development. Let us all join hands to protect and preserve our environment and not leave the fight to self-seeking politicians alone. It is worth mentioning that the media and some civil society organizations have lately joined the crusade against illegal small-scale mining. That is refreshing and commendable. The environment is a priceless resource and we cannot afford to allow it to be mortgaged by some few ones for their parochial interests.
Long live CEFAG! Long live the environment! Long live Ghana!
Signed:
David Adama
(Executive Secretary)
Phone contact: 0243008166
Adama Ali
(Deputy Executive Secretary)
Phone contact: 0247586568
Frederick Addai
(Executive Director)
Phone contact: 0246148540
William Kofi Adzowu
(Deputy Executive Director)
Phone contact: 0246697746
