The Ghana Coalition Against Galamsey (GCAG) has thrown a direct challenge to the presidency to name a single licensed small-scale mining company that is operating responsibly on the ground.
This comes in response to President John Dramani Mahama’s comments during the Presidential Media Encounter on Wednesday, September 10, where he defended the decision to withdraw police from anti-galamsey operations.
He claimed it was difficult for security personnel to distinguish between legal and illegal miners.
In a strongly worded statement, the Coalition rejected that justification, calling it misguided and unfair to the police.
“The President’s claim is misplaced. The police, while not perfect, had shown courage and made significant progress in controlling illegal mining activities. Withdrawing them sends the wrong message,” the GCAG stated.
The Coalition insisted that the real issue is not confusion over who is legal or illegal, but the lack of genuine, responsible mining on the ground.
“We challenge the Presidency to point to even one licensed small-scale mining company that is truly operating within the law and protecting the environment,” the statement added.
According to the group, the President’s statement that alternatives must be provided before chasing miners is compared to justifying and emboldening illegality.
The Coalition further raised concerns about the lack of resources for the newly introduced National Alternative and Illegal Mining Oversight Structure (NAIMOS), warning that without adequate funding and political backing, the institution would fail.
On the issue of a targeted state of emergency, the GCAG disagreed with the government’s position, recalling that President Mahama himself had once joined civil society in calling for such a measure before his election.
According to the group, conditions have worsened since then.
Below is the full statement
