Anti-galamsey campaigner and media personality, Mr. Eugene Osei Tutu, has called on government to declare a state of emergency to halt the destruction of Ghana’s forests and water bodies. Speaking on the Teknokrat Show on Focus FM, Mr. Osei Tutu described illegal mining as a “threat to national survival” and stressed that only a firm political commitment can end the menace.
“The fight against galamsey is a fight for our collective survival. Declaring a state of emergency will give our forests space to breathe, reduce water pollution, and ensure only licensed operators are allowed to mine,” he said.
According to him, efforts by successive governments have largely failed due to weak political will and complicity among influential persons. He pointed to reports of MPs, chiefs, and even security personnel being implicated in galamsey activities, saying this undermines the fight.
Mr. Osei Tutu further argued that regulatory mechanisms and taskforces set up over the years have yielded little results. “For more than 10 years we have tried these so-called measures, yet nothing has changed.
It is time to use a tougher approach.” On the question of livelihoods for illegal miners, he dismissed suggestions that galamsey should be tolerated because it provides jobs.
Instead, he urged government to create sustainable employment opportunities and properly regulate small-scale mining. “Crime is crime.
Galamsey is not a job,” he stressed, urging the President to revoke mining licenses in forest reserves and strengthen supervision by the Forestry Commission and EPA. Mr. Osei Tutu concluded by calling on President Mahama to show real commitment to promises he made in opposition.