Political Leaders Must Stop ‘Massaging’ Galamsey — RRIG
The Director of the Rights and Responsibilities Initiative Ghana (RRIG-CDD), Madam Aba Oppong, has called on political leaders to stop what she described as the “political massaging” of illegal mining, popularly known as galamsey, warning that the menace is threatening Ghana’s environmental and public health.
She said political considerations must not be allowed to undermine efforts to protect the country’s water bodies, farmlands and other natural resources.
Madam Oppong made the call in an interview on the sidelines of a two-day Media Engagement on Constitutional Reforms, where she also challenged journalists to play a more active role in Ghana’s national discourse.
She urged media practitioners to go beyond their traditional roles of informing, educating and entertaining the public and become honest and transparent brokers in discussions on constitutional reforms and galamsey.
“We are training you to go out as honest brokers in this process. Amplify everyone’s position with transparency, accountability and due diligence, whether it is the report of the Constitution Review Commission (CRC), the government’s position, civil society proposals or the perspectives of political parties,” she said.
Madam Oppong further urged journalists to put political partisanship aside and present issues accurately to enable citizens to make informed decisions.
“Set aside political partisanship, present the unadulterated truth and allow citizens to make their own informed choices,” she added.
Galamsey Threat
Turning her attention to illegal mining, Madam Oppong expressed concern over the continued destruction of Ghana’s natural resources, particularly water bodies and fertile agricultural lands.
She questioned why political leaders and other state actors continued to treat the galamsey menace with what she described as leniency despite its devastating consequences.
“Clean water and fertile lands are critical to human life, and those are the exact two resources that galamsey is destroying. Why are we still massaging this issue?” she asked.
According to her, the situation in some mining communities had become unbearable, with the effects of illegal mining extending beyond environmental destruction to public health concerns.
She cited reports from medical practitioners about babies being born with severe congenital disabilities and an increase in chronic kidney and liver diseases, stressing the need for urgent attention to the menace.
‘Clean Votes’
Madam Oppong challenged political leaders to prioritise the long-term sustainability of Ghana over short-term electoral considerations.
She said political leaders should demonstrate their commitment to the protection of the country’s natural resources rather than compromise environmental protection for political gains.
“Politicians will always want votes, but they must seek votes that are clean. The future and sustainability of Ghana are at stake. Power without the protection of our resources is meaningless,” she said.
She insisted that the galamsey issue must remain high on the national agenda until effective measures were implemented to protect Ghana’s water bodies, farmlands and other natural resources.
The two-day media engagement was aimed at deepening journalists’ understanding of the constitutional reform process and equipping them to facilitate informed and balanced public discussions on the proposed reforms.
