Nana-Bawumia Government Was Committed To Fighting Galamsey (Illegal Mining) Than This Mahama Government

Galamsey is a menace that needs to be dealt with decisively and sincerely - leaving no stone unturned in fighting this canker. Politicians have over the years played with the minds of Ghanaians using galamsey as campaign tool to winning power and completely failing Ghanaians, leaving the forest destroyed and water bodies polluted.

Prior to the 2016 general elections, the New Patriotic Party campaigned among other things on the need to fight against galamsey to protect the environment. Did the government of Nana-Bawumia genuinely stage a fight against galamsey?

Right from the onset of the Nana-Bawumia Government, they demonstrated the zeal to fight galamsey by completely putting moratorium on both small scale mining and artisanal mining in Ghana for nearly two years (20 months). Despite the financial implications of the ban, the Nana-Bawumia Government took that bold initiative to curb the galamsey menace.

To ensure that illegal miners did not go back to site, the government of Nana-Bawumia established a joint military and police team called operation vanguard that destroyed and seized many illegal mining equipment from illegal miners. The activities of the operation vanguard's team made illegal miners uncomfortable and obviously some people attributed such actions to the loss of many NPP Parliamentary seats in the mining constituencies at the 2020 elections. Interestingly, while Nana-Bawumia Government was fighting illegal mining activities, some National Democratic Congress' leaders were captured on video promising illegal miners of Free Will to operate when voted for in the 2020 general elections.

In 2022, the Nana-Bawumia Government saw the need to procure Mercury-free gold processing machines to maximize gold ore processing and reduce pollution of water bodies and physical environment. These machines were presented to small scale miners and those engaged in responsible community mining. This initiative is worthy of emulation and escalation to cover larger mining communities.

Despite the efforts made by the Nana-Bawumia Government to fighting galamsey, there were still some areas illegal mining activities were taking place and as usual NDC politicians and so-called neutrals took advantage of the situation and the political season at the time (2024 general elections) and did propaganda with the fight against galamsey. What has happened after winning power in 2024?

It is obvious that NDC and the so-called neutrals were fighting for their stomachs not against galamsey. The loud voices that were chanting for declaration of state of emergency because of galamsey have disappeared. It is public knowledge that galamsey activities have worsen and the water bodies are being polluted on daily basis. Galamsey activities are carried out openly - near by major roads and government facilities such as hospitals and schools.

The people of Ghana were told by the NDC that the President can end galamsey within weeks and unfortunately the current President has even admitted that their own party members are engaged in galamsey activities in Ghana. Some NDC national party executives have been accused of engaging in galamsey activities but nothing has been done about it.

The NDC government trained and deployed Blue Water Guards to fight galamsey and unfortunately some of them were arrested recently for alleged bribery and impersonation. How can these guards even fight armed illegal miners? The National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS) are doing their best but the same politicians won't allow them to do their work independently. The government continue to pretend whiles illegal mining escalates and the loud voices of politicians and so-called neutrals are mute. Interestingly, it is now reported that some illegal miners are armed to the extent that the state security can't dare confront them. Ghanaians were scammed big time. The fight against galamsey by this Mahama government is now becoming an illusion.