The President of the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA), Albert Dwumfour, has challenged all presidential candidates from various political parties to publicly pledge their commitment to combating illegal small-scale mining (galamsey).
During a press conference in Accra, Mr. Dwumfour outlined several demands that the GJA believes are essential to eradicating galamsey.
These include declaring a state of emergency for water bodies, equipping the military to remove those involved in mining activities in these areas, halting mining within 100 meters of rivers and buffer zones, and repealing Legislative Instrument (LI) 2462.
Mr. Dwumfour emphasized that all political parties must publicly announce their agreement with these demands to demonstrate their commitment to addressing the crisis.
He warned that the nation is on the brink of collapse and that these actions are crucial to ensure that the next president is dedicated to protecting the land and water bodies.
The Christian Council of Ghana has also joined the growing calls for a complete ban on galamsey.
The Council’s General Secretary, Reverend Cyril Fayose, highlighted the devastating environmental and social impacts of the illegal practice, urging immediate action to protect Ghana’s natural resources.
