Former Chief Executive Officer of the Minerals Commission, Richard Kofi Akpenu, has blamed ongoing illegal mining, also called galamsey, on a “total policy failure” by the government.
Speaking on TV3’s Agenda on Monday, October 9, Akpenu expressed frustration over the government’s inability to eradicate illegal mining, despite efforts that began in 2017. He argued that if the administration had been truly committed to tackling the issue, the problem would have been resolved years ago.
“If the government were actually committed to this fight, it should have been settled way back in 2017 when they took over,” Akpenu said during the interview with Beatrice Adu.
Akpenu highlighted the environmental damage caused by galamsey, particularly the rising turbidity levels in water bodies across the country, which have been heavily polluted by illegal mining activities.
He emphasized that no one has the legal right to mine in these waters, suggesting that the persistence of the problem is due to a failure in government policy.
“Nobody has any legal right to go into the water bodies to do any such mining activity. How did we get here? It is purely a matter of policy failure. The government has not been able to hold those responsible accountable, even though they operate in full view,” he remarked.
His comments reflect growing dissatisfaction with the government’s management of illegal mining, a critical issue impacting both the environment and economy in Ghana.
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