The General Secretary of the Christian Council of Ghana, Rev. Cyril Fayose, has called for the public naming, shaming, and prosecution of politically exposed persons involved in illegal mining, widely known as galamsey.
He believes that until these individuals are held accountable, efforts to curb galamsey will continue to falter.
In an interview on JoyNews’ The Pulse on Tuesday, September 10, Rev. Fayose stressed the importance of transparency and justice in dealing with high-profile individuals implicated in illegal mining activities.
“There are a lot of big people, politically exposed people, behind some of these things, and unless they are prosecuted—named and shamed—I don’t think we are going to make any headway,” he told JoyNews’ Elton Brobbey.
Rev. Fayose also voiced his support for a temporary ban or moratorium on all illegal mining activities to provide an opportunity for the country to reassess its strategies in the fight against the canker.
Rev. Fayose also voiced his support for a temporary ban or moratorium on all illegal mining activities to provide an opportunity for the country to reassess its strategies in the fight against the canker.
“If a total ban cannot be enforced, at least the small-scale mining companies must be community-owned so that the mining is done responsibly,” he suggested.
Additionally, Rev. Fayose called for the repeal of a Legislative Instrument (L.I. 2462) that permits mining in forest reserves, as it has contributed to environmental degradation.
He criticized the government’s efforts to combat galamsey, stating that they have not been sufficient in addressing the root causes of the problem.
“Politically exposed persons have been fingered in this matter, and even though the Attorney General claims to be prosecuting, some of the big shots have not been touched. Until something is done about that, I don’t think these problems will go away,” Rev. Fayose noted.
