Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, has accused some Members of Parliament of being involved in illegal mining, also known as galamsey.
During a two-day emergency sitting of Parliament, Mr Bagbin said that certain MPs either directly participate in illegal mining or promote it through their actions.
He expressed concern that these activities were contributing to the destruction of water bodies in Ghana.
“Who are those participating in the galamsey? If we take a census, some of you will be there and the people you are talking to are aware. It is not that they are not aware. They are aware that some of you are participating in it,” he stated.
Mr Bagbin further urged MPs to lead the fight against galamsey by refraining from engaging in such activities.
He emphasized that MPs should not seek financial support from individuals involved in illegal mining for their political campaigns.
“Don’t go to them for your money for your campaigns. Don’t go to solicit their votes. Let them see your work. Truly, it is a disgrace that we’ve gone this far,” he said.
The session also saw MPs from both sides of the house blaming each other for the ongoing illegal mining problem.
Frank Annoh-Dompreh, the Majority Chief Whip accused the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) of causing more destruction to water bodies.
This statement was met with strong condemnation from the Minority, with their leader, Dr Cassiel Ato Forson, arguing that the problem has worsened under the Akufo-Addo leadership.
However, Bagbin’s focus was on ensuring that MPs set a good example by not participating in the environmental destruction caused by galamsey.
Illegal mining, popularly referred to as galamsey, has been a major issue in Ghana, with recent reports indicating that the practice has led to the destruction of several rivers, including River Ankobra, River Bia, River Pra, and River Tano.
Successive governments have taken several steps to eradicate illegal mining, but the problem persists due to the high demand for gold and other precious minerals.
In March 2023, the Lands Ministry revealed that the Minerals Commission is to install tracking devices on 4,000 excavators and earthmoving equipment as part of measures to clamp down on galamsey.
Also, about 300 river wardens completed a 4-week intensive pre-deployment training course at the Eastern Naval Command in Tema on Tuesday, October 25, 2022, to prepare them to provide security to the country’s various river bodies.
Over 20 Chinese Nationals are currently facing prosecution in the various courts in the country.
In October 2022, President Nana Akufo-Addo reiterated his resolve to fight the canker, but the issue persists.