The National Communications Officer of the Conventions Peoples Party (CPP) is advocating for a localized approach to combating galamsey in order to achieve success.
Previous interventions have been unsuccessful, with Osei Kofi Acquah emphasizing the necessity of involving the local community in the fight.
He criticizes the failure of the interministerial taskforce to engage with residents living in galamsey-affected areas.
The CPP proposes implementing a “see something, say something” initiative to empower local people to report illegal mining activities.
Acquah underscores the importance of enlisting community members as informants or whistleblowers to provide accurate information to law enforcement, resulting in more effective enforcement actions against perpetrators. Acquah stated that the task force consistently reaches the sites but is unable to locate the culprits, which results in contaminated and ruined water and land.
He emphasized that CPP does not oppose all demonstrations in Accra and regional capitals such as Kumasi.
He further explained, “However, we are engaging with officials who are not residents of the galamsey locations, and despite their good intentions, their capability to address the issue is limited.” He articulated that the government ought to incorporate residents from galamsey areas as whistleblowers into the newly established interministerial taskforce to address the issue.
He emphasized the need to equip these whistleblowers with resources and allowances to enable them to provide reliable information to the government.
This is crucial as the individuals involved in illegal mining schemes have deployed individuals in the affected communities to alert them and aid their escape when the taskforce is approaching.
