The Minority in Parliament has slammed the governing New Patriotic Party over its handling of the 37-page galamsey report authored by the former Minister for Science and Technology, Professor Kwabena Frimpong Boateng who was Chairman of the Inter-ministerial Committee on Illegal Mining (ICIM).

According to Rashid Pelpuo, Ranking Member, Committee on Lands and Forestry, the inquiry has become necessary due to the grave effect of galamsey on water bodies across the country.

“It is our opinion that a public enquiry on the Committee report and damage to our forest reserves is necessary especially with the now wider destruction of our lands and rivers by galamsey operators. It is unthinkable that the state including all its resources, t’s lands, rivers, money, and people are left to an elected government to manage and it turns out that, the government itself is a key sponsor of the destruction and misuse of these resources.

“Our cocoa farms are diminishing, our people are drinking mercury polluted water, our rivers are dying and our forest reserves are destroyed on daily basis. According to Hon Frimpong Boateng after he had been bailed from an unnecessary arrest “ we can’t sit down for the corruption and destruction of our lands to go,” Mr. Pelpuo said at a press conference on Monday, June 14, 2023.

In addition to calling on the government to institute a public inquiry, the minority also outlined five decision government must take to address the menace.

1. Revoke the Executive Instrument (E.I.) 144 Forests (Cessation of Forest Reserve) Instrument 2022. The E.I in operation will removes 361.50 acres of forest from Achimota Forest Reserve, the lungs of Accra.Ladies and gentlemen existing forests all over the country must be preserved if indeed we seek to demonstrate our commitment to restoring the destroyed environment and to promote Green Ghana as a key climate change policy. As we have often said we cannot with one hand destroy portions of our existing forest reserves and with the other hand purport to green Ghana..2. Pausing Community Mining.
2. Community mining has become a source of destruction of our environment just like any galamsey operation. Given the fact that we have not developed an adequate monitoring and enforcement regime it makes it almost impossible to effectively monitor the numerous community mining operatives and the harm going on in the environment.It is for this reason we support activists in Mantukwa, Sefwi Atronsu and Apaitaim, to name a few say No to Community Mining.3. Revoking section 3(2) of Environmental Protection (Mining In Forest Reserves) Regulations 2022 Legislative Instrument ( L.I.) 2462 which enables the President to allow mining in a globally significant biodiversity area in “the national interest”.

   Mining in a globally significant biodiversity area will destroy the eco-system on which living species depend and cannot be in the national interest.

   4. Holding the directors of Akonta Mining accountable for allegedly destroying portions of the Tano Nimiri Forest Reserve and ensuring the company restores areas they destroyed.

   5. Taking action on JoyNews’ documentary ‘Gold For Destruction’, which proves direct government involvement and where military men were protecting illegal miners gleefully destroying the environment.