The Minority Leader, Alexander Afenyo-Markin, has raised concerns over the government’s establishment of the Ghana Gold Board (GoldBod), warning that its dual role as both regulator and operator could indirectly encourage illegal mining, popularly known as galamsey.
Speaking at a press conference on Monday, January 26, Mr. Afenyo-Markin drew attention to the continued pollution of the country’s water bodies, blaming the worsening situation on the government’s management of the mining sector.
“Organised labour last year sounded an alarm and indicated that galamsey activities have worsened. This government has failed to provide tangible evidence of its commitment to the fight against galamsey,” he said.
According to the Minority Leader, the government is placing more emphasis on public relations than on meaningful action.
“It is clear that they are always involved in PR gimmicks, looking at the optics rather than the substance. They are interested in short-term gains,” he stated.
Mr. Afenyo-Markin raised concerns about whether GoldBoD can tell the difference between legally mined and illicit gold.
“All we know is that they are talking about their success story, the amount of gold, or tonnes of gold, they have purchased, yet they have failed to tell us whether there are measures to tackle illicit gold produced through galamsey activities,” he noted.
He warned that the country’s future could be at risk if decisive action is not taken.
“We are concerned because the future of this country is at stake, and the earlier this government takes steps to protect the future of Ghana, the better,” he said.
