We need to hold political actors in galamsey-affected areas accountable – Awula Serwah

The Executive Director of Eco-Conscious Citizens, Awula Serwah, has called for political actors in areas affected by illegal mining to be held accountable for the activities taking place in their jurisdictions.

She said political authorities must take responsibility for the activities of illegal miners in their respective areas and ensure that all available resources are deployed to tackle the menace before it is too late.

Speaking on JoyNews' News File on Saturday, October 31, Ms Serwah said Ghana must move beyond repeated discussions on illegal mining and focus on enforcing existing laws to address the problem.

“We know what to do, but we are pathologically allergic to enforcement,” she said.

She stressed the need for stricter measures to curb illegal mining, including ending the indiscriminate issuance of mining licences and stopping the importation of excavators.

“We have to stop issuing mining licences like confetti, stop the importation of excavators, and put all our resources into dealing with this cancer before it kills all of us,” she stated.

Ms Serwah warned that the country was approaching an ecological catastrophe if urgent measures were not taken to address the activities of illegal miners.

She called for a coordinated effort and stronger enforcement of mining regulations, insisting that the country must use every available resource to stop the menace before its environmental consequences become irreversible.