President of the Concerned Small Scale Miners Association, Michael Kojo Peprah, has advised against politicians and political actors leading the fight against galamsey.
According to him, politicians and political actors have failed Ghana and believes the fight should be headed by people who have the nation at heart.
“It is about time we hand over the fight against galamsey to technocrats. Politicians have failed the fight and it is time we take technocrats and people who have the nation at heart to fight galamsey. They can do it devoid of politics,” he told Don Kwabena Prah in an interview with Happy98.9FM’s Don Kwabena Prah.
He revealed the number of Chinese involved in illegal mining surpass locals, and posited that “we cannot win the galamsey fight if they are not handled. They are the ones giving politicians money and until we tackle them, we cannot win the galamsey fight.
Michael Kojo Peprah revealed various authorities are doing their best to battle the menace but politicians and political actors are limiting their work, emboldening galamseyers.
Ghana’s tradition of artisanal gold mining and the gold price boom which began in 2007 led tens of thousands of Chinese migrants to seek their fortunes in Ghana.
Bringing heavy machinery, illegal Chinese gold miners precipitated economic and social instability as well as increases in gun violence, drug trafficking and corruption
Ghana is working hard to fight against illegal mining – or galamsey – but widespread corruption has hamstrung government efforts.
