The Minister of Education, Haruna Iddrisu, has said Ghana must decisively win the fight against illegal mining, popularly known as galamsey, stressing that although efforts are ongoing, the battle is far from over.
Speaking during an interview on Channel One TV’s The Point of View with Bernard Avle on Wednesday, December 24, Mr. Iddrisu, while acknowledging the concerted efforts being made to curb the practice, cautioned against declaring victory prematurely.
He called for sustained and collective action involving government agencies, local communities, and other stakeholders to permanently end the destructive practice and protect the country’s natural resources.
“There’s a concerted effort to fight galamsey. I’m not too sure to say that we have won the fight, no. We need to win the fight, and we will win. We need more mobilisation to deal with it.”
He expressed confidence in President John Dramani Mahama’s commitment to tackling the menace, describing galamsey as one of the country’s most pressing national crises.
He said the President remains focused on addressing illegal mining through the Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, whose actions he described as pragmatic and determined.
“I think that the President remains focused through the Minister of Lands and Natural Resources in dealing with a major crisis of the country, which is galamsey. Which is affecting the quality of water we drink, the quality of the air we breathe. Mr. Iddrisu stated.
According to the Education Minister, illegal mining continues to have devastating consequences on the environment and public health, affecting “the quality of water we drink” and “the quality of the air we breathe.”
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