OccupyGhana Renews Call For Urgent Action to Combat illegal Mining

OCCUPYGHANA, a prominent Ghanaian pressure group, has once again called on the government to take immediate and decisive action to halt the ongoing illegal mining (galamsey) operations that are devastating the country’s environment, health, and food security. This renewed demand comes after nearly seven years of sustained advocacy, during which the group has issued numerous statements and letters urging the government to fulfil its 2017 promise of eradicating the destructive practice.

The group’s latest call comes as public dissatisfaction with the government’s response grows, amid rising concerns over mercury poisoning, polluted water bodies, and health issues in mining-affected communities.

Government’s inaction and broken promises

While acknowledging the initial steps taken by the government in 2017 to address galamsey, OccupyGhana expressed disappointment over the subsequent decline in enforcement. Instead of arresting and prosecuting perpetrators, the government resorted to burning mining equipment, a practice the group deemed illegal and ineffective. The pressure group also criticised the internal disputes within the government, accusing officials of benefiting from illegal mining activities, leading to inaction.

‘The government’s legal efforts against galamsey have petered out, replaced by in-fighting and accusations over who in government has been benefitting from galamsey,’ OccupyGhana said in its statement. ‘Now, there is complete inaction.’

Core demands

In response to the growing environmental and health threats posed by illegal mining, OccupyGhana has reiterated five key demands for the government:

1. Enforce existing laws: Ghana’s Minerals and Mining Act is already robust, according to the group, but the government needs to ensure its enforcement. OccupyGhana insists that no mining should take place without the appropriate government-issued licences, and severe penalties should be imposed for violations.
2. Declare a state of emergency: The group has urged the government to invoke Article 31 of the Constitution, declaring a state of emergency in all areas affected by galamsey. This would halt illegal mining activities and restore control over Ghana’s natural resources.
3. Confiscate galamsey lands: OccupyGhana has proposed legal amendments to hold landowners accountable for facilitating galamsey operations. These lands should be confiscated and repurposed for public benefits, such as reforestation or regulated farming.
4. Prosecute offenders: The pressure group is calling for the immediate prosecution of individuals and companies involved in illegal mining, especially those with political connections. ‘Government inaction has fostered impunity and undermined public trust,’ the group said.
5. Address the health crisis: The detrimental health effects of mercury contamination from galamsey operations are already being felt. OccupyGhana highlighted the critical shortage of drinking water and mercury-related congenital deformities in babies as urgent issues that must be addressed.

A call to action

OccupyGhana concluded its statement by urging President Nana Akufo-Addo to uphold his 2017 commitment to end galamsey. ‘Failure to act would be a betrayal of the trust placed in him by the Ghanaian people,’ the group warned. As the environmental destruction and health risks continue to escalate, Ghanaians from all walks of life have joined the movement, calling for swift and comprehensive measures to protect the country’s resources and future.