Wednesday, 5th November, 2025
Hon Akwasi Konadu
Manhyia North
Mr Speaker, the Statement is on the console. It is digitalisation finally.
Mr Speaker, I am grateful for the opportunity to deliver this important Statement on the increasing number of deaths associated with illegal mining, commonly referred to as galamsey. The situation we face today is not only alarming, but also a direct indictment on our collective national failure to adequately regulate an activity that continues to destroy our land, endanger lives, and weaken the very foundation of our natural and human capital.
Mr Speaker, illegal small-scale mining is not a new phenomenon. Its historical antecedents can be traced to the precolonial era, where gold mining formed an essential part of indigenous livelihoods.
However, the 1980s ushered in a new era of “landscape extractivism” driven by structural adjustment programmes that opened our lands to multinational firms for large-scale mining. These policies, while economically strategic, inadvertently marginalised many Ghanaians, pushing them into small-scale mining—A sector that was poorly regulated and largely ignored by the state. Mr Speaker, after four decades, the legacy of neglect and informality has transformed small-scale mining into one of the gravest threats facing our country.
Today, illegal mining activities not only degrade the environment but are increasingly claiming innocent lives. Despite Ghana being a signatory to numerous environmental and sustainable development protocols, our current trajectory undermines these commitments. Mr Speaker, the implications of galamsey extend far beyond environmental degradation. They directly threaten human life. For instance, from January to July, 2025, Ghana has recorded at least 17 reported deaths linked directly to galamsey activities.
Mr Speaker, these are not mere statistics; these are Ghanaian lives: breadwinners, mothers, sons, and daughters lost to the reckless pursuit of unregulated mineral wealth. Mr Speaker, I seek your leave to recount some recent and tragic incidents. On 8th January, 2025, two young men lost their lives in Osino, Fanteakwa District, following the collapse of a galamsey pit. They were part of a group of seven operating in the pit during the early hours of the morning when the structure gave way and buried them alive. Just twelve days later, the nation woke up to the news of a violent confrontation between armed illegal miners and the joint military-security team of AngloGold Ashanti at their Obuasi concession.
In their attempt to forcefully breach a fenced operational area, eight lives were lost in what many described as an act of impunity, lawlessness, and desperation. As if that was not enough, on the 1st April, Joy News reported another fatal galamsey pit collapse in Mpasatia, which claimed two lives. The victims, driven by economic hardship, met their end in an unsafe, unregulated site that had already been earmarked as hazardous. Similarly, on 16th July, 2025, Akyem Wenchi recorded yet another tragedy when four persons perished in a galamsey pit collapse. Eyewitnesses described harrowing scenes of community members using crude tools in desperate rescue attempts.
Just on Tuesday, 29th July 2025, a 50-year-old woman tragically slipped and fell into an abandoned galamsey pit. Although she was quickly rescued and rushed to the Frimpong Boateng Clinic, she was pronounced dead upon arrival. Mr Speaker, how many more lives must be lost before urgent and decisive action is taken? The prevalence of death and environmental collapse is a direct consequence of ineffective enforcement, lack of political will, and in some instances, the complicity of state actors and traditional authorities. While security operations have been launched and some arrests made, a number of these closed illegal mining sites resume activity within six months, pointing to a vicious cycle of impunity.
Mr Speaker, galamsey is not simply an environmental issue; it is a national security threat. It fuels local conflicts, deepens poverty, and exposes our youth to preventable deaths. In light of this, the Mahama-led Government should leverage real-time surveillance through drone technology and satellite imaging, anchored in the visionary digitalisation agenda of His Excellency Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, to enhance monitoring of high-risk mining zones and enable swift response to emerging illegal activities. This digital infrastructure, once mocked and misunderstood by our opponents, now presents a strategic tool to combat the galamsey menace with precision, transparency, and accountability.
Further, Mr Speaker, the Government should revitalise and invest in community-based mining cooperatives, established under the previous government, not only change their names, and bring them under a robust regulatory framework that enforces strict environmental and safety standards. These cooperatives must serve as legal, safe, and economically viable alternatives to illegal mining, especially for youth and rural populations who are most vulnerable to exploitation in the galamsey economy.
Mr Speaker, in conclusion, every Ghanaian life matters. We cannot continue to treat the deaths from galamsey pits as collateral damage. These are not accidents, they are avoidable tragedies resulting from policy gaps, institutional inertia, and sometimes, deliberate negligence. Let us be bold. Let us act now. The cost of inaction is not just economic—it is human.
I thank you, Mr Speaker.
Hon Francis-Xavier Kojo Sosu
Madina
Mr Speaker. I want to thank my Hon Colleague for this important Statement that he has made. I have always argued that when we fail in the fight against galamsey, we will be failing the next generation yet unborn.
Mr Speaker, in accordance with the rules of intergenerational equity, every generation must use the natural resources that are available to them in a way that can guarantee its usage in the future. Unfortunately, that is not what we are seeing today. People are hell-bent on destroying our water bodies and our natural environment for their own parochial interests. Mr Speaker, this cannot continue. The number of deaths and accidents that are associated with this illegal mining sometimes are very alarming. The numbers that we have here are those that were reported. Those that are not reported, when the pits cave in are much more.
So, Mr Speaker, I believe that it is time for us, indeed, to take a decisive action in dealing with this menace. That is why I want to commend Government for the effort made so far, even though I believe that more must be done again, to bring this under control. For example, the introduction of the Blue Water Guards is an important intervention. Recently, the Legislative Instrument (L.I.) that allows for mining in forest reserves have also been revoked.
I believe that these are very decisive steps that have been taken to deal with this menace. I am hoping that in dealing with this problem, we will take a non-partisan approach so that it will not be the politics as usual when it has to deal with issues of galamsey. If we can do this, I believe that we will achieve the ultimate goal. It will be so long and hard, we know it. The road may be weary and muddy, but, if we are determined and keep fighting forward, one day we shall get there.
Thank you, Mr Speaker.
Hon Stephen Amoah
Nhyiaeso
Thank you, Mr Speaker, for this opportunity.
Mr Speaker, this whole issue of galamsey, in my opinion, has been one of the most important tests for the two governments, the Minority and the Majority, for the National Democratic Congress (NDC) fraternity as a party and New Patriotic Party (NPP) especially when we are in government. The first thing is that we should all bow down our heads in shame at the devastation that it is causing us as a people in our society. This menace of anti-social behaviour and activities contributed immensely towards the decision-making processes of the ordinary Ghanaian against NPP when we were in government. It was used as if what is happening was caused by our Government. We had hope. Ghanaians had faith. They believed in our Brothers in opposition, thinking that within the shortest possible time, galamsey would be a thing of the past. What do we see today? It is even aggravating. I would never blame the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Government. I want to be a good citizen. But I am asking them first to apologise to Ghanaians for to us.
Mr Speaker, the, the propaganda, and the they told Ghanaians let us all understand the fact that some of these issues must be given the needed national attention, devoid of politics, because it is destroying us. Let us work on our mindset revolution. Change the way we use propaganda Ghanaians because of political capital. It is extremely important. Having said this, I would like to also appeal to all relevant stakeholders, especially our chiefs.
Mr Speaker, some of our chiefs are behind it; they sell these pieces of land to the galamsey boys. I am also appealing to the security agencies. The former President, His Excellency Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, in good faith, set up a task force. They went into the bush, and what happened? I am sure His Excellency John Dramani Mahama, in good faith, is doing everything that he can, setting up the same task force. They would go in there and the story would not change. Why? Because if somebody travels like two hours, goes deep into the forest, how can they have control over them? So, I think it is a national issue that all of us should stop the politicisation and begin to confront this together. The NDC and the New Patriotic Party (NPP) should come together and deal with those who are engaging in these antisocial behaviours because it is costing us economically. Already, we have the fiscal space confronted with a lot of challenges.
We are, however, using the rationed budget we have as a country, addressing these things. People are dying. Biologically, we are not even sure what we eat, what it contains, whether they contain hard metals or not. It is not an issue to play with or laugh about because one is either NDC or NPP. It is a national issue that is endangering the future of the next generation and posterity. So, I would like us, as a House, whether NDC or NPP, to support this current Government in a way that we can deal with galamsey. I am sure when my brothers were to Ghanaians, they never thought they would come to power. The same way I am talking to my people. Ghanaians know that in 2028, NPP, we are coming. We want to come and inherit a society —
Mr Speaker, I withdraw that with your leave, and I am sorry, House, I did not mean to use it. All that I am trying to say is that some of the national issues that are dwindling the goodwill and the reputation and the progress — Thank you, Mr Speaker.
In conclusion, all that I am trying to say is that it is time that the NDC and the NPP sit down over certain national issues of great concern and deal with them without politics. We cannot allow these fundamentals to dwindle the reputation, progress, and economic stability of our country because of politics. I think the next stakeholder interest group that I would like to speak to is the media. What do they tell people about galamsey? What kind of reportage? Because somebody is in government or in opposition, they would report as if it is being confronted with. Mr Speaker, galamsey is now even done at train stations. It is costing us about US$22 million or pounds. Where are we heading towards? So, it is a national issue. That is all I am saying. And then, we in opposition would not behave like them, we would support them, but they should go back and tell Ghanaians that they — and they are sorry.
That is all I can say. Thank you, Mr Speaker.
Hon Nikyema Billa Alamzy
Chiana-Paga
Mr Speaker, I want to first of all commend the maker of the Statement. This is an important Statement for this House and for Ghana.
We need to come together and fight galamsey without fear, favour, or political lens. Mr Speaker, I wish to thank His Excellency John Dramani Mahama. I am sure President Mahama is a relative of Jesus Christ [Hear! Hear!] for bringing in National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS) and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to help in fighting galamsey. Mr Speaker, EPA is in with innovation. The EPA and NAIMOS are going to help us as a country to fight galamsey very well. And this is the best way to go —
Mr Speaker, I want to correct my Leader. I did not say that President Mahama is a brother of Jesus Christ. I said, “I am sure”. That is quite different from what he said. Thank you, Mr Speaker. Once again, I am very sure H.E. John Dramani Mahama is a brother or a relative of Jesus Christ. As I said earlier, the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) and the National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS) have tabled the best way to fight galamsey. The best way is to strengthen our legal and regulatory framework. That is the way to go for us to fight galamsey. And by doing that, we must make sure that we keep updating our legislation to address the loopholes in existence.
Mr Speaker, it is very important for us to bring the kingpins that are involved in galamsey for the law to take care of them. It is very important for us to do community engagement. I can tell the House that most of the young men engaging in galamsey today do not know what they are doing. They are working for kingpins. When they are arrested and you check the videos, they do not look like people who can really afford excavators and other equipment that are being used to destroy our land.
Mr Speaker, we need to provide alternative livelihood. If we are able to provide our young men with better paid jobs, I am sure galamsey is going to be a thing of the past. We need to make sure that we empower our law enforcement agencies, provide adequate training, resource them and make sure that they are being paid very well, so that when they get to the galamsey sites, they will not be enticed with the small money given to them which prevents them from doing their work.
Mr Speaker, we need to have stakeholder engagement. We have district chief executives in all the areas where galamsey is ongoing. We have chiefs there, commanders of the Police Service, Immigration Service and all the other forces as well present in those areas but galamsey is still ongoing. It is very important for us to do that engagement and make sure, if possible, we put individual’s work on the line at various galamsey sites. If you are a police commander and you cannot bring your people together to fight galamsey, then you do not deserve to be the commander at that particular place.
Mr Speaker, I want to commend the maker of the Statement again and pray that the House takes this particular Statement seriously and make sure we all come together without political lens to fight galamsey very well, for the sake of our children, Ghana and ourselves.
Thank you very much. And still, John Mahama must be a brother of Jesus Christ.
Hon Kingsley Nyarko
Kwadaso
Mr Speaker, you are welcome back from Canada. I am happy for the opportunity to make few comments on the Statement ably made by the Hon Member for Manhyia North, Mr Akwasi Konadu.
Honestly, I do not know what to say about this matter, because we have been discussing the illegal mining (galamsey) menace in this country for a very long time. It seems that we are not finding the practical solutions to deal with this menace. We come here and all that we do is to talk, so fighting galamsey has been reduced to a talk shop. And for me, we need to be worried about our attitude and the continuation of this menace.
Mr Speaker, if we are serious and we want to defeat the enemies who are engaged in this canker, the power lies in the hands of the Executive led by His Excellency the President. No other body or person can help us to win the war. The President must show leadership. He must lead the way to defeat this canker. It is becoming so worrisome and sad that we are destroying this country. We are depriving posterity the opportunity to benefit from the goodness of this country. We have the right to mine but we must do that responsibly. Why do we allow few persons to degrade and destroy our water bodies and our forests? Why should we look on for this to happen? We come to the House and issue Statements; we go to the media and talk. The talk is too much. We must begin to act, show the way as leaders and ensure that we make this country a better place.
All of us can decide to go into this venture but life is not all about money. Life is not all about mundane things. Life is securing the future for those who will come after us and we are not doing that. The President is not doing that. When it gets to election campaign period, then all the promises are given. Politicians are benefiting from this canker that is why we are seeing inertia and inaction in fighting it. And is it fair? Is it fair to those through whose toil and blood bequeathed this country to us? Is it fair? If our forefathers had engaged in this illicit activity, degraded and destroyed our water bodies and forests, would we have come to benefit? We must do something. President Mahama must do something. The President has a term to rule us; he must show leadership. He needs to let Ghanaians know that he was the President who was able to fight and defeat this menace. Why? Money?
Mr Speaker, we came into this life with nothing and we shall go with nothing. All the moneys we get through all these illegal activities will be left here. And who suffers? Our children will suffer. Those yet unborn will suffer. So, I would like to urge the President that he must act and he must act now. The talking is too much. Ghanaians are not interested in our talks. They are interested in our actions. Let us act. The mighty Majority should please show leadership. They should let Ghanaians believe in them that they promised to defeat illegal mining and they have lived by their words. They sit there and stay quiet. The “vim” they used to campaign is gone because they are benefiting—
Mr Speaker, I would not want to continue boring the House with words. What I expect from our President and this House is to ensure that we win the war against galamsey. We can win if we want to win it. We do not want to win the fight against galamsey because of the benefits that we are getting; the mundane things that we are getting. Is that all we want? [Uproar] We are in this House to ensure that this country is governed well. Mr Speaker, let me again commend the maker of the Statement, Mr Akwasi Konadu, for once again bringing this matter to the fore. If this matter is not dealt with— Mr Speaker, if this matter is not dealt with effectively, I do not expect any Member of this House to issue another Statement on fighting illegal mining next time.
Thank you, Mr Speaker.
Hon Isaac Adongo
Bolgatanga Central
Thank you, Mr Speaker.
I would like to commend the maker of this Statement, but also to emphasise that if there is anybody in this country who can fix this problem, it is H. E. John Dramani Mahama, and that no matter how people shout on top of the roof, Ghanaians are aware of how they destroyed our country.
It is not how angry they get; it is about the solutions that will fix the problem. Only a few days ago, we heard people who said they will not stop galamsey today, they will not stop it tomorrow because they want to win power. We heard people who said that their Party needed money, and that galamsey was the way their Party could raise money.
Mr Speaker, we were in this country when people told us that they had put their presidency on the line and ended up with their presidency at home, leaving us with galamsey. So, Mr Speaker, we are not interested in people who are pontificating today. We are interested in the solutions that are being proffered to solve this problem. We are making sure that the laws that enable people to go and mine in our forest reserves are being revoked today so that nobody can go to the forest reserves to mine gold and destroy the environment.
Mr Speaker, I would like to call on my Colleagues that their newfound love for the fight against galamsey is welcoming. But they should remember to tell the people of Ghana the path that they took, the things that they did, the evil that they did against this country in destroying our environment. They cannot all of a sudden become holier than thou. It is not how much they shout; Ghanaians are aware of their track record. We know that when it comes to paying lip service to the fight against galamsey, it started from their end. And it will not change today because they have made a simple Statement on galamsey.
Mr Speaker, I would like to emphasise that by the time H. E. John Dramani Mahama leaves office, he would have left the people of Ghana with a safe environment and galamsey will be a thing of the past. We are doing a lot to ensure that their lives are safe, their children are safe, not just ours, but theirs as well. We are making sure that the environment that they destroyed will be reclaimed. And they should be clapping for President John Dramani Mahama for wanting to save their environment.
Mr Speaker, when we tell people not to politicise any activity, it must start with us. We cannot tell people not to politicise so that they can gag people and turn around to politicise it. If they decide to politicise it, we will meet them boot for boot. H. E. John Dramani Mahama did not start galamsey, but he will stop it. I want to thank them for recognising today that in the past, they were the bane of this country and they have found a new love to stop galamsey. They must tell their friends who were galamseying and are still galamseying to stop. They should stop parading the courts and demonstrating when people are arrested for engaging in galamsey. When people’s equipment are seized for engaging in galamsey, they should not be the ones fighting for them.
Mr Speaker, they stood here and said they were not going to attend to this House because somebody had been accused of engaging in galamsey. They said they were not going to attend to Business in this House until Wontumi was freed. But they left him languishing and came to the House. It is those activities and attitudes that make the fight against galamsey difficult. Mr Speaker, no amount of shouting will stop us from fighting galamsey; we will fight galamsey. H. E. John Dramani Mahama will win the fight against galamsey and shame the devil.
Thank you very much, Mr Speaker.
Hon Dominic Bingab Aduna Nitiwul
Bimbilla
Thank you, Mr Speaker and Leadership, for the opportunity.
Mr Speaker, the former President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, came to this House in 2017, the year he took over power and said he was putting his presidency on the line in the fight against galamsey. It tells us only one thing: galamsey was already there before he came. Mr Speaker, Ashanti Goldfields Corporation (AGC) closed down because of galamsey. It was under my signature that AGC reopened in 2022. In fact, the Communication Director of AGC died on the field when his own pickup truck ran over him because galamseyers were chasing him. They closed down; they lost jobs because of galamsey. This was under President John Mahama.
Mr Speaker, the former Minister for Lands, because he is not here, I would not mention his name; we all know him. He went from the Ministry of Lands to the Ministry of Roads. He said, and I quote, “galamsey fight is very difficult.” We can ask him. The point I am making is that galamsey intensified in this country from 2013 to 2016. I was Deputy Leader in this House. That was the reason Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo said he was putting his presidency on the line. What we did first, and I want them to do the same if they want to fight galamsey, was to ban all small-scale mining for a minimum of eight months. We started with eight months. After that, we increased it to 12 months. We increased the ban on all surface mining for at least one year.
The Minister, Hon Kofi Armah Buah, came to this House to say that nine forest reserves that had not been touched before have been taken over by galamsey. Mr Speaker, yesterday, their Member of Parliament was arrested protecting galamsey and they blame us? No, they cannot blame us. I am speaking because of what Hon Adongo said. No MP so far has been accused or arrested because of galamsey. But an NDC Member of Parliament led thugs to attack security forces because of galamsey, and they have the audacity to accuse us? Mr Speaker, in those days, any time I deployed soldiers to go and fight galamseyers, they said that when they come into power, they would not allow that. They always said that, and I have videos, if Hon Members want, I will play the videos here. I will play the videos where NDC people were going around saying that they will leave them.
Mr Speaker, the current President said he will release the young boys who were arrested for galamsey. They are not a problem; they are the pikins. Nine months into power, why are they not arresting those supposed “big people? They did not have power; today, they are in power, so why are they not arresting them? Mr Speaker, 5,000 excavators were moved at night. Why are they not arresting the supposed “big people”? Why are they shielding the “big people”? The people of Ghana have given them power, not just power; they have given them an overwhelming power to ask why these people are not being arrested. It is because they are complacent, and that is why they are not arresting them. They are not arresting them because they are the people doing it. Otherwise, arrest them. Arrest the galamseyers. They are not arresting them because the NDC people are doing it.
Mr Speaker, let me state that if one ever visits a galamsey community, it is not a good sight. If one ever goes to look for water to drink from a galamsey community, it is not a good sight. You and I can get fish from the Volta Lake to at least prepare soup; they cannot. Mr Speaker, the youth are being destroyed because of galamsey and what is painful is that somebody will have his cocoa farm, and the Mineral Commission will sit in Accra and issue a permit, and they will go and destroy their cocoa farms. The former First Deputy Speaker, Joe Osei Owusu, says he cannot visit his cocoa farm because galamsey has invaded and taken over the whole place. If they can do that to a former Speaker, what about the ordinary farmer in the village? They seized it last month. He told me that from September to October, galamseyers seized his farm.
Mr Speaker, all I am saying is that our land is being destroyed, the livelihood is being destroyed, and we moved with force to go and stop them. If we continue to send just two or five soldiers to the field, we are putting their lives at risk. I never sent less than 100 soldiers to go and fight galamsey because I know that what happened at Asutifi North can happen to them. Can we imagine what would have happened if a soldier had been killed in Asutifi North? So I am advising the Government to ban all surface mining for one year, like we did. Have a grip and declare the state of emergency that we asked for. I am not going to ask for it, but I am saying it is very easy to ban all surface mining for one year. We did it, they can do it. They say they know the people who practise galamsey. Go and arrest them. Why are they not arresting them?
Mr Speaker, we know the solution, and the solution is that the Government must act. If the Government is not acting, we will accuse them of not acting because their people are involved. So, if they do not want us to accuse them, they should act and act now.
Thank you, Mr Speaker.
Hon Fred Kwesi Agbenyo
Guan
Mr Speaker, thank you very much for the opportunity to contribute to this Statement.
Mr Speaker, when the former Minister for Defence was speaking, I thought Hon Habib was going to remind him of Order 93(5). I can give them a copy to read if they want to know.
Mr Speaker, unfortunately, Hon Habib did not hear him when he was provoking debate. He sat down quietly and allowed him to say the things he said. The good news is that the people of this country know that if there is any government or the only President who can solve the galamsey problem of our country is none other than Mr John Dramani Mahama.
Mr Speaker, the people of Ghana saw their record the past eight years. We saw them in office in the last eight years, when they told the people of this country that their party was looking for money and the only way they could get money was to be engaged in galamsey activities. They turned the Ministry of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovations into an office where they were sharing galamsey among themselves. Their Members were involved in galamsey.
When they were leaving office, they had polluted all the river bodies in the galamsey mining areas and destroyed all our vegetation. The former Minister for Defence wants to know who we have arrested. As we speak today, their Ashanti Regional Chairman is facing trials— They said they wanted to know the people we have arrested and I am telling them that he is facing trial. So, we are going to go after all the big people who are living in Accra, sponsoring the young people to mine in our forests to destroy our water bodies. If they want to see them, they should just exercise patience. Very soon, they would see all of them. They are going to pay back for all the vegetation they have destroyed with their properties and the wealth they have acquired.
Mr Speaker, we want to assure the people of this country that President Mahama will not just make a vague promise of putting his Presidency on the line, but he is going to live the talk. He is going to make sure that by the time he leaves office, galamsey will become a thing of the past. Mr Speaker, I am not surprised that anytime galamsey is mentioned in this House, you hear some people screaming and shouting. Even when their names have not been mentioned, because they know what they did in the past eight years, their thinking is that we are coming to talk about them.
But we are going to make sure that galamsey will stop in our forests. We are going to make sure that our water bodies will be clean, so that we can get good water to drink. We are going to make sure that they are going to reclaim all the lands that were destroyed as a result of galamsey and we are going to make sure, as the President said, that any appointee of the Government who is seen engaging in any galamsey activity, that person will be prosecuted. We have seen what President Mahama, has done so far. When his own party officials were accused of engaging in galamsey, he did not even wait for a day. He asked the security agencies to investigate them.
During their time, the President himself was clearing those who were involved in galamsey; President Mahama will not do that. If one is an NDC member, a Minister, a Member of Parliament, or a Chief Executive Officer and is involved in galamsey, the law of the land will deal with them. Mr Speaker, once again, thank you very much for the opportunity. Let me assure my Colleagues that President Mahama, woayԑ bi da, ↄbԑyԑ bi biom. He will solve the problem of galamsey once and for all.
Thank you very much.
Hon Kwabena Boateng
Ejisu
Thank you, Mr Speaker. Let me also commend the maker of the Statement on this very important matter.
Mr Speaker, respectfully, we have a consensus in this House and as a matter of fact, the entire country which is in respect of the effect of galamsey on our lives. Our medical doctors are telling us that our women are giving birth to creatures that they cannot characterise as to whether they are proper human beings or otherwise. Babies are born without limbs and what we cannot properly call human beings. All these are emanating from very strange chemicals associated with galamsey.
Mr Speaker, it is also the case that the consensus that we have in this House, particularly, the promise that was given by the incumbent Government when they sought power from the people of Ghana was that, there was a magical button which the Government of the day could press to stop galamsey one time. That was the indication that was given to us that there was something that the erstwhile Government could do and galamsey would have come to a halt immediately.
Mr Speaker, we were also urged on to declare a certain state of emergency which was also said to be the panacea to the galamsey menace. Mr Speaker, today the people of Ghana believed in that promise and bought into the idea. The people of Ghana were looking for people who could press that magical button and bring an immediate halt to the galamsey menace. Today, we do not know where that magical button is.
Today, the Government that advertised the declaration of a state of emergency, has lost the power and zeal to talk about the state of emergency that they advertised so much to win political power. Mr Speaker, the history is very clear. From 2013 when the National Democratic Congress (NDC) set up an Inter-Ministerial Committee to look at galamsey, we were told at the latter part of their tenure that fighting galamsey was a shared responsibility. I am using the words of the Chairman of InterMinisterial Committee Hon Inusah Fuseini, in 2013, who said, fighting galamsey was a “shared responsibility.”
Mr Speaker, we do not know what happened in 2016 when we came to power. All of a sudden, fighting galamsey became our sole responsibility and that we could not even invite our friends from the other Side to join in that fight; we found this very worrying.
Mr Speaker, in 2010, during the tenure of the NDC Government, the journalist Anas Aremeyaw Anas featured a documentary in Wassa-Akropong involving galamsey and how the lives of innocent people had been lost in that documentary attributed to galamsey in the tenure of the NDC Government. Mr Speaker, is it also not the case that in 2015, the then Minister for Finance, the Hon Seth Terkper, lamented about the reduction of cocoa production which was also attributed to galamsey.
Mr Speaker, today, the power is in the hands of the NDC Government. Not long ago, they refused our invitation to join us to jaw-jaw. They said that the blame was to be laid at the doorstep of Government, the Executive, the erstwhile NPP Government. They said the blame was to be laid at our doorstep. Mr Speaker, today, we do not want to go the same way. We would want to show good faith. We will accept the invitation. But then, the charge must be led by the Government. They are the custodians of the electoral power of the people. This Side is ready to help in any manner or form to fight galamsey. But they must show leadership. The President must set the example. The President must lead the charge, so that all of us as a country can also join in bringing an end to the galamsey menace.
Mr Speaker, with these few words, I thank the maker of this Statement.
Hon Isaac Adjei Mensah
Wassa East
Thank you very much, Mr Speaker.
I think it is so worrying when I hear from the other Side, the New Patriotic Party (NPP), taking about issues of galamsey. Some basic information for them. I have been a miner all my life, and I have worked with all the major international mining companies here in Ghana. I would have thought that the NPP will just keep quiet and support the Government in resetting Ghana and try to resolve this galamsey challenge. Basic information for them, Mr Speaker, as at the time that National Democratic Congress (NDC) was exiting office, 99 prospecting licences had been given out, that is from the colonial times, through to H.E. John A. Kufuor’s tenure; 99 prospecting licences had been given out. We saw galamsey escalating, and we managed it in a manner that will ensure consistency.
Unfortunately, from 2017 to 2024, the NPP has given out over 2,100 prospecting licences. The records are there. Mr Speaker, 2,100 prospecting licences, and these were given to the NPP cronies. As we speak today, we have 83 mining districts. What happened was that they gave these over 2,100 prospecting licences to their cronies and they invited the Chinese who came in with their Changfangs, bulldozers and excavators. While they were licensed to prospect, they were mining. When we talk about galamsey, all small-scale miners are involved in galamsey, because if you do not have the legal permit to mine, you are obviously practising galamsey.
Mr Speaker, what happened was that there was an escalation of galamsey all over. The records are available that many of them own three to six concessions. At the appropriate time, the records will come through. Mr Speaker, I get worried when I talk about this. Dr Kwabena FrimpongBoateng’s report was clear. But the worrying aspect of it is that we thought they would be patient. Why are they calling for a State of Emergency? Do they know the consequences of State of Emergency? They created a mess and never called for a State of Emergency. What President Mahama is saying is that we are resetting Ghana, and the mess that they have created in that sector, he is going to be fix them all.
During our campaign, we told Ghanaians that we were going to regularise and ensure that galamsey is done properly. Do you know what happened? We are undertaking a process. Do they know what the process is? Responsible cooperative mining. This responsible cooperative mining will ensure that all the tailings will be properly embanked and that they are all treated before we allow them to enter into the waters.
Mr Speaker, the boys that we promised during the campaign, that— [Interruption]— they are the small boys. The big ones are their people. They own the concessions. They own the big ones. If they dare us, we are going to publish all the names. They are over 2,000. Most of them have them. We are not here to talk about issues. We are fixing the problems. So in fixing the problems, we need them to exercise patience. How many of them brought in Chinese with their Changfang? [An Hon Member: Many.] The Chinese are their cronies.
Mr Speaker, we had artisanal mining during the colonial times. Why were we called Gold Coast? Mr Speaker, should I land now? All I am saying is that there is a major problem, and this major problem of illegal mining was escalated exponentially by the NPP. They do not have the moral right to talk about it. No government ever. It was the NPP that gave permits for mining in the forest. Tell me which government did that? It was the NPP that gave permit for the forest to be destroyed. You know what? We have cleared the forest.
The nine major forests reserves have been cleared. The National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS) is in there to bring decency. The boys are now given the hope that indeed, we are in to reset Ghana and resolve the problem of galamsey. We are going to make sure that responsible cooperative mining comes to stay and is better. That is where we make sure that at every cooperative post or location, we get a geologist, a metallurgist, and an environmental expert. We will make sure that this time around, they are not going to be mining in the rivers. The NPP allowed Changfangs to be placed on rivers. It is not going to be done again. Now we are stopping them and we are stopping them forever.
So, Mr Speaker, I think that it is very clear that the NPP has been very irresponsible in managing our resources. The 2,100 licences were given by them. How many licences did we give out? So, they need to exercise patience. They have no moral right to talk about galamsey. President Mahama made it clear that we are fixing the problem; NAIMOS is in place. All the rivers are virtually being cleared: the Ankobra, Densu, Pra and many other big rivers are getting better. Why are they so worried? As for the State of Emergency, it is not coming today and it is not coming tomorrow. This because we have started a process to make sure that something is done. What is their justification to talk about this? They have been involved and are still involved in galamsey. At the appropriate time, the records will come through. But while I finish, Mr Speaker, I want us to be very clear, Ghana is for us. We are all Ghanaians. There is no country like Ghana. They started destroying the environment by bringing in the Changfangs and the Chinese people all over. The Chinese are in the village selling gari and all those things — oday, we see them going to all these areas.
Mr Speaker, it is finished. We do not want to hear them talking about State of Emergency. Now, we are in a state of attention. We are in a state of attention. It means that attention is being given to the area after they destroyed it and so on and Ghana is going to be better.
Thank you, Mr Speaker.
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