Pressure group, OccupyGhana, in its latest urgings of President Nana Akufo-Addo is tasking the Commander-in-chief of the armed forces to “ … to show the nation that you are not all talk and no action but that you are indeed willing to stake your presidency on ending the menace of Galamsey.”
The group in a letter dated 31st October, 2022, but released on 1 November, this year, charged that “Mr President, you are betraying the trust reposed in you by the people of this nation if you continue to fail to take action against those stealing our gold while poisoning our water bodies and destroying our forests.”
History, OccupyGhana intimated, will not be kind to President Akufo-Addo and his administration for turning a blind eye and enabling “this humanitarian disaster to continue. It cannot be the case that your Government’s inexplicable and willful lack of action is because your Government expects that the noise will die down and that we will forget the fact that nothing is being done to stop Galamsey.”
Read OccupyGhana full unedited letter below:
Accra 31st October 2022
GALAMSEY REMINDER (NO 5) – REMINDER OF REMINDERS
Mr President:
We have written to you 5 times on the issue of Galamsey, one letter and 4 reminders. This is our 5th reminder.
We are dismayed that your Government has not taken any substantive action on any of the issues raised. It does not appear to us that there have been any measures instituted to contain/irradicate this senseless destruction of our forests and water bodies by these Galamsey criminals.
In our initial letter dated 28 September 2022, we asked that you should simply enforce the law on illegal mining. That has not happened. Galamsey continues unabated and the law that proscribed illegal mining remains a meaningless adornment on our statute books, simply because the Government is unwilling to or incapable of enforcing the law. The complete inaction since that letter is all the proof, we need that your Government will not enforce the law.
Sir, we sum up our reminders to date and reiterate our call on you to take action.
1. Reminder 3rd October 2022: Declare State of Emergency
We asked that you take immediate steps towards declaring a state of emergency in every mining area in Ghana in accordance with the Constitution. This should halt all illegal mining activities in the Galamsey areas until measures to control/regulate artisanal mining can be implemented.
You have taken no action.
2. Reminder 10th October 2022: The imminent Ecological and Food Disaster
We set out comprehensive technical information which leads to the conclusion that the country could be heading towards critical food insecurity and loss of drinking water given the poisoning of our rivers with mercury, cyanide and rampant deforestation attributable to Galamsey operations. We repeated our call for emergency measures to end Galamsey.
You have taken no action.
3. Reminder 17th October 2022: Confiscate all Galamsey Lands
We proffered a solution which we believe would be effective in stemming the release of lands by landowners for Galamsey operations. Under Section 99 of the Minerals Act, these persons enabling use of their lands for Galamsey could be said to be “facilitating” criminal activity and may be subject to imprisonment or fines. We proposed an amendment of the law to include a provision specifically criminalising the making of land available or allowing land to be used for Galamsey. This would enable prosecution of landowners and such land to be confiscated including allodial titles such as the stools, skins and families.
You have taken no action.
4. Reminder 24th October 2022: Take Action on Akonta Mining Issue
The lack of action against Akonta Mining gives the general public the impression that the Government cannot stop the operation of Galamsey. We asked that you direct your Minister for Lands and Natural Resources and the Minerals Commission to send all the information in their custody to the police and the Attorney General forthwith. This is necessary to ensure Akonta Mining’s actions are prosecuted and justice sought for the people of Ghana.
To do nothing is to condone the illegal actions of Akonta Mining, its executives and shareholders.
You have taken no action.
Mr President, you are betraying the trust reposed in you by the people of this nation if you continue to fail to take action against those stealing our gold while poisoning our water bodies and destroying our forests. History will not be kind to you and your administration for turning a blind eye and enabling this humanitarian disaster to continue. It cannot be the case that your Government’s inexplicable and willful lack of action is because your Government expects that the noise will die down and that we will forget the fact that nothing is being done to stop Galamsey.
Sir, we urge you to show the nation that you are not all talk and no action but that you are indeed willing to stake your presidency on ending the menace of Galamsey.
Yours in the service of God and Ghana
Occupy Ghana
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