President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has stated that the prohibition on illicit mining, often known as galamsey, is helping Ghana reduce carbon emissions.
The President remarked that the ban on galamsey, which has been harming water bodies and forest reserves, has helped to cut the country’s carbon emissions while speaking at the 2023 Africa Climate Summit in Nairobi, Kenya.
President Akufo-Addo went on to say that numerous signature policy measures, including planting for food and jobs, one village, one dam, and a prohibition on illicit mining, have all helped to lowering carbon emissions and strengthening the country’s resilience to the effects of climate change.
“We placed a ban on illegal mining the phenomenon we call galamsey which was destroying our water bodies, vegetation and our forest. Some 20, 000 young people have been engaged to plant more than 30 million trees in two years to create jobs and restore degraded lands.
“These policy initiatives are already yielding positive results in the attainment of SDG Goals, particularly the goal of reducing our carbon emissions,” President Akufo-Addo said.
He urged other African countries to follow suit in order to cut carbon emissions and increase resilience to the effects of climate change.
In a related development, the Chiefs and people of Akyem Hemang, a farming community in the Fanteakwa South District of the Eastern Region, have given the Ghana Police Service, the Eastern Regional Coordinating Council, and the local assembly a 10-day ultimatum to either drive away or arrest illegal miners who are polluting water bodies and destroying farmlands in the area.
The Chiefs have stated that if the authorities do not cease the miners’ operations within 10 days, the people would take the law into their own hands in order to safeguard and maintain their water sources and farmlands.
The Chief of Akyem Hemang, Osabarima Mmirrikkissi Okasum Apori Atta, told the press that he could no longer contain his people’s fury.
“We know you have done your best, but it is not good enough, if you can’t do it, give us about 10 policemen to accompany us. Who has authorised them to come and mine our waterbodies in the first place? We cannot build Ghana in this way…I cannot hold back the anger of my people again.
“Within 10 days, if we don’t hear anything we will apply officially, to follow due process to go on demonstration and we will need police guard to drive them away. If there are no laws in this land, let us know so we take the laws into our own hands.”
