Okudzeto Ablakwa list 15 action points to resolve galamsey crisis

Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, the member of parliament for North Tongu constituency has revealed a 15 action plans that would solve galamsey should Akufo-Addo implement it. 

In an earlier interview speaking on Good Morning Ghana, Ablakwa claimed that there is a cabal, including close associates of the President benefiting from mining licenses granted across various regions in Ghana.

Ablakwa later expressed frustration over the government’s inaction against the cabal, stating that the President appears “incapacitated” in dealing with their activities.

Taking to his X page on 2^nd October 2024, the MP stated the Organised Labour deserve the highest of commendations for their dogged, unflinching and consequential fight of a lifetime to save our lives and protect the environment.

Parts of his statement on X read “I have absolutely no doubt that just as our collective resolve saved our SSNIT hotels so shall the mass murderers be chased out of our forests and waterbodies”.

He went on to suggest 15 action points should President Akufo-Addo Implement would resolve the galamsey crisis.

MP Ablakwa’s 15 plans to stop galamsey: 

1. Instruct the Attorney-General and the IGP to discontinue the unconstitutional harassment of anti-galamsey protesters and ensure their immediate and unconditional release.
2. Sack all Regional Ministers who have failed to prevent galamsey as Chairs of their respective Regional Security Councils.
3. Sack all MMDCEs who have failed to stop galamsey as heads of their respective Municipal, Metropolitan and District Security Councils.
4. Reshuffle the Ministers responsible for Lands and Natural Resources, Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation, National Security, Defence and the Interior and various agency heads under them such as Environmental Protection Agency and the Minerals Commission for their spectacular failure and alarming betrayal.
5. Recall all Police Commanders and National Security Operatives in galamsey enclaves for their complicit conduct in terribly letting the nation down.
6. Impose a 5-year ban on all forms of small-scale mining through legislation under a certificate of urgency.
7. Deploy the Ghana Armed Forces to protect our river bodies and forests under a new paradigm which eliminates political partisan control.
8. Immediately stop the issuance of new mining licenses.
9. Carry out a shakeup at Ghana’s Embassy in China and put in place an extremely strict criteria for the issuance of Ghanaian visas to Chinese nationals.
10. Launch an aggressive scientific Green Ghana programme to restore and regenerate our river bodies, embark on massive afforestation and reclamation of all galamsey lands.
11. Provide free comprehensive medical screening and treatment for all Ghanaians affected and exposed to the health dangers of galamsey.
12. Impose hefty fines on small scale mining companies found to have violated our responsible mining laws and use the funds collected for environmental regeneration, public health assistance and water treatment support.
13. Agree on a roadmap to ensure that after the 5-year environmental recovery ban on small scale mining, there should be established a state-owned company to be solely responsible for small scale mining. Small scale mining by private companies should be proscribed.
14. The state-owned company will employ only Ghanaians from the communities where they would be mining and will further guarantee competitive working conditions for all workers. The state-owned mining company will also be legally obliged to pay acceptable royalties to traditional leaders and engage in community empowerment initiatives.
15. Revoke L.I. 2462 and pass new legislation to make it illegal for politicians and any other person to engage in the advocacy and promotion of galamsey and impose stiff sanctions for those caught violating the law.

Organised Labour and all patriotic forces deserve the highest of commendations for their dogged, unflinching and consequential fight of a lifetime to save our lives and protect the environment against those mass murderers engaged in galamsey.

I have absolutely no doubt that just… pic.twitter.com/0Sftct3mMG

— Sam Okudzeto Ablakwa (@S_OkudzetoAblak) October 2, 2024