The Ghana Bar Association (GBA) has waded into the controversy surrounding the illegal mining crisis, questioning the government’s approach to the fight against the canker.
Speaking at a news conference, the President of the Ghana Bar Association, Yaw Acheampong Boafo, asked the government to target corrupt politicians and business tycoons believed to be bankrolling the galamsey activities.
The GBA tasked the government to be honest and bold and fish out these evil acts of powerful interests engaged in the unjustifiable destruction of our environment.
He explained that regardless of a person’s status or political background, those found guilty of destroying the environment should be dealt with decisively.
The harmful effects of ‘galamsey’ are all around us, and we cannot gloss over them. Land for the cultivation of food and cash crops has been affected. There are studies showing that galamsey is contributing to death among children. Despite the efforts and assurance of the government to deal with the
menace, there appears to be a general consensus that not much has been done effectively.
In this regard, Mr. Acheampong Boafo pointed out that the GBA holds the view that a lot more can still be done to effectively deal with the menace that poses a serious threat to the country’s survival, especially in this period of climate change concerns.
Galamsey is a capital-intensive illegal activity. The heavy-duty equipment and other machinery and chemicals used in galamsey cannot be afforded or purchased by the young men or women who get arrested on galamsey sites. These people are not the ones who grant entry permits into forest reserves.
Galamsey can only thrive if powerful and influential members of society actively fund such a menace. The reasonable and irresistible conclusion is that it is controlled and funded by a network of corrupt public officials, politicians, traditional rulers and wealthy and powerful business interests.
According to the President of the Ghana Bar Association, Yaw Acheampong Boafo, Ghanaians will be playing the ostrich with the future if we pretend and refuse to act. The frivolous greediness of our elite will completely destroy us as a nation.
The Ghana Bar Association also took the opportunity to condemn recent attacks on media journalists and tasked political parties with calling their supporters to order since there are several ways political parties can seek their grievances when they are offended.
Photo: myJoyOnline
