The Majority in Parliament has rejected allegations by the New Patriotic Party (NPP) that the Ghana Gold Board (GoldBod) is contributing to the worsening of illegal mining, popularly known as galamsey, across the country.
The Majority Caucus insists that the opposition NPP has not provided concrete evidence to support its claim that GoldBod’s operations are fuelling illegal mining or undermining efforts to protect Ghana’s forests, rivers and other natural resources.
In recent weeks, the NPP has intensified its criticism of the government’s handling of the illegal mining menace, questioning the effectiveness of measures introduced to combat the practice.
The opposition has also raised concerns about the role of GoldBod and the broader gold-trading system, arguing that government policies surrounding gold purchasing could have implications for the fight against illegal mining.
At a press conference on Tuesday, August 25, NPP National Organiser Henry Nana Boakye alleged that GoldBod’s operations were contributing to the worsening galamsey menace.
The Majority, however, rejected the allegation and maintained that the government has taken significant steps to intensify the fight against galamsey.
Speaking to Citi News, the Member of Parliament for Keta, Kwami Dzudzorli Gakpey, defended the government’s approach and pointed to a number of measures being implemented to combat illegal mining.
He cited the training and deployment of water guards, the involvement of the military and the deployment of personnel under the National Alternative Employment and Livelihood Programme (NAIMOS) as evidence of the government’s commitment to tackling the menace.
The Keta MP also pointed to recent legislative interventions as part of efforts to strengthen the legal framework governing mining activities and protect environmentally sensitive areas.
“The government is clamping down on galamsey heavily. Look at the water guards; they have been trained, look at the military and NAIMOS being deployed. But the fight is not easy because this fight boils down to livelihoods. People are making a lot of money from this, and we have to try to find alternatives for people and be moving them there gradually.
“So recently, even the Cocoa Bill that we passed, it incorporated that if you want to mine close to water bodies, it should be 500 metres away, even cocoa farms. So these are some of the areas we are tightening the law. It is NPP people who are doing the galamsey. Chairman Wontumi was sent to prison on galamsey charges.”
Mr Gakpey said the government’s measures demonstrate its commitment to addressing illegal mining while also recognising the need to provide alternative livelihoods for people who depend on the activity.
