Galamsey fight: Akufo-Addo and ministers must be jailed — Kofi Koranteng

Independent presidential candidate, Kofi Koranteng, has demanded that President Akufo-Addo and his ministers face jail time for their “gross incompetence” in handling illegal mining, commonly referred to as galamsey.

According to him, the government’s inability to regulate the influx of earth-moving equipment and control the environmental destruction caused by galamsey is worrying.

Mr Koranteng questioned the government’s negligence, saying, “Illegal mining is rampant in Ghana. How is it done? Massive machines are tearing up the earth. Who owns these machines? How do they get here? They don’t fly in. They come through the ports. And who controls the ports? The government.

“When these machines were entering the country, why didn’t they stop them and ask, ‘What are these machines for?’ A simple tracking system could’ve been put in place to ensure they weren’t used for galamsey. But they didn’t, and that’s gross incompetence.

He added: “The people who should be arrested and jailed are the president and his ministers. They’ve allowed this destruction and violated the rights of the people by letting it continue.”

Meanwhile, the Media Coalition Against Galamsey has voiced its frustration over the waning public demand for an end to illegal mining practices.

The convener of the coalition, Ing. Kenneth Ashigbey, lamented this decline in momentum, attributing part of the responsibility to Ghana’s middle class for not demonstrating sufficient commitment to the fight against illegal mining.

In an interview with Bernard Avle on the Citi Breakfast Show on Citi FM, Ashigbey criticized Parliament for failing to act in the interest of Ghanaians by not revoking Legislative Instrument (L.I) 2462, which permits mining in forest reserves. He emphasized the need for collective action to address the ongoing environmental and social issues posed by illegal mining activities.