Apostle Kwaku Appiah calls for special national committee to end galamsey

Ghana’s long and difficult fight against illegal small scale mining, popularly known as galamsey, can be won if a Special National Committee is established to tackle the menace, Apostle Kwaku Appiah, a prominent Kumasi-based minister, has said.

Apostle Appiah, Head Pastor of Faith Outreach Ministries at Oforikrom Anloga, argued that political partisanship has been the major obstacle preventing the country from applying a neutral and effective mechanism to end galamsey.

In an exclusive interview, he called for the urgent formation of a Special National Committee with a broad representation of influential groups, including religious leaders, traditional authorities, security agencies, the media, the judiciary, and political actors.

He stressed that for the committee to succeed, its members must remain strictly neutral and refrain from engaging in partisan politics.

To give the proposed body the necessary authority, he appealed to President John Dramani Mahama to endorse the idea and lead the formation of this multi-stakeholder committee. Such presidential backing, he noted, would help shield the initiative from political interference that has undermined past efforts.

Apostle Appiah commended both past and present governments for attempting to address galamsey, acknowledging that various interventions have shown promise. However, he said political considerations have often prevented these strategies from achieving their full potential.

He explained that this is why he is advocating for a national committee that allows all stakeholders to tackle the problem sincerely, free from political influence.

Beyond the immediate issue of galamsey, Apostle Appiah expressed concern over Ghana’s recurring inability to solve longstanding national problems. He lamented the tendency to shift blame rather than confront issues directly, calling for a fundamental change in attitude.

He urged Ghanaians to abandon the habit of fault-finding and instead focus on finding lasting solutions. According to him, even a child can recognise the issues confronting the nation.

Apostle Appiah insisted that establishing a Special National Committee is the best approach to combating galamsey, rather than continuously assigning blame to one political party or another.

He reiterated that Ghana has the capacity to resolve its own challenges if citizens commit to a change in mindset and adopt practical measures.

“I always feel disappointed when we seek outside help to solve our problems when we can do it ourselves,” he said.

Apostle Appiah hopes his proposal will be taken seriously and implemented for the good of the country. He believes that a united, expert-driven and politically neutral approach could provide the breakthrough Ghana needs in its fight against galamsey.