Former Deputy Minister for Lands and Natural Resources (MLNR) and Member of Parliament (MP) for Tarkwa Nsuaem constituency in the western region, George Mireku Duker, is calling for an all-inclusive nationalistic approach in tackling the existential threat of illegal mining, popularly known as galamsey.
“From my experience, the fight against galamsey is a very difficult and complex enterprise than it may appear on paper or drawing board, therefore, it requires all-inclusive, consistent, determined nationalistic approach in order to make any meaningful impact in the fight against galamsey,” he intimated.
In an exclusive interview with this paper to seek his views on the new administration’s renewed efforts to deal with the galamsey threat, honourable Duker disclosed that there is a twine of continuity in governance and that he is very happy the National Democratic Congress (NDC) government has taken up the mantle to continue the galamsey fight.
He stressed “I believe we can achieve so much if we eschew partisanship and adopt nationalistic approach where we open up for external ideas, experiences, and information from interested parties who want to volunteer their technical know-how outside the government’s machinery.”
The Tarkwa Nsuaem former MP continued, “Mind you, we have on our hands a very skilled and sophisticated people engaged in these illegal activities which threatens our very existence and they always plan ahead of us so we need to be very tactful and well calculated with our approach going forward.”
The former deputy minister expatiated that “Sometimes they even go to the extent of fabricating stories against state officials in charge of the fight to create credibility crisis for them, be it the minister or whoever is in charge; so that they can buy some space and time to engage in their nefarious activities as it happened in my case. They tagged me as a galamseyer who has concessions and excavators all over the place.
“But, thank God, I’ve been exonerated because since the NDC government took over, there’s nowhere that I have ever been mentioned in respect of galamsey or excavators or even concessions,” Hon. Duker asserted.
About the river-guards, Honourable George Mireku Duker commended government for adding on community centered approach in the fight against galamsey.
He said, Peru, Brasil and China adopted similar approach in safeguarding their water bodies but cautioned government to be careful about its implementation procedures.
He added that if the right people are consulted on the implementation of the concept, it may see the light of day.
