Dr. Kenneth Ashigbey, the convener of the Media Coalition against Galamsey, has urged Ghanaians to demonstrate their opposition to illegal mining by wearing red bands on Thursday, October 10.
This act aims to highlight the seriousness of the fight against galamsey and to pressure the government to take decisive action.
In an interview on Joy FM’s Top Story, Dr. Ashigbey emphasized the need for the coalition to intensify its efforts in urging the government to combat the illegal mining crisis.
He stated, “Tomorrow, we should express our revulsion for galamsey by wearing red bands to ensure that the government follows through on its promises, especially regarding the revocation of illegal mining permits.”
This call to action follows the recent decision by Organised Labour to suspend a nationwide strike originally scheduled for the same day. The strike aimed to push the government to address the galamsey issue more effectively. The suspension came after government officials assured that enhanced measures would be implemented to tackle illegal mining.
Dr. Ashigbey reiterated the importance of government action, particularly the need for President Akufo-Addo to issue an Executive Instrument to revoke all mining permits associated with illegal activities. He also expressed plans to write to the President and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to prevent any further permits from being issued under the existing regulations.
He called on both NPP and NDC presidential and parliamentary candidates in mining regions to publicly endorse the government’s anti-galamsey efforts.
