General News of Thursday, 22 April 2021

Source: www.ghanaweb.com

Akufo-Addo fighting galamsey with ‘usual rhetoric’ – Manasseh Azure

Ace investigative journalist Manasseh Azure Awuni Ace investigative journalist Manasseh Azure Awuni

Ace investigative journalist Manasseh Azure Awuni has expressed deep concerns with the government’s handling of the galamsey menace.

Manasseh is of the view that while the canker continues to be perpetuated, the government continues to dabble in its ‘usual rhetoric’.

“Our forests are destroyed. Our water treatment plants are treating mud. Our lives are threatened. Our president is fighting "galamsey" with the usual rhetoric. For now, let's share the photos of our ministers who make their faces "mmɔbɔ mmɔbɔ" for the cameras and continue...,” he posted on Facebook.

Manasseh made the observations following pictures shared by the Ministries of Land and Natural Resources, Sanitation and Information during their tour of some major water bodies in parts of the country.

Samuel Abu Jinapor, Cecilia Dapaah and Kojo Oppong Nkrumah over the weekend visited some parts of the country which have been ravaged by the never-ending galamsey menace.

Jinapor in an address to the press emphasized the need for an ‘all-hands-on deck’ approach in dealing with the canker.

He warned that persons found to have engaged in illegal mining will not be spared if caught by security officials.

“President Akufo-Addo and his government are not against mining in Ghana neither are we against small scale mining, In-fact on the contrary, we want to promote small scale mining and we want to do so on a regulated basis and a responsible manner that does not compromise the river bodies and the environment,’’ he emphasized.

Cecilia Dapaah, who was the leader of the delegation said government and Ghanaians must at all cost protect the water bodies.

“We must make sure that we keep our rivers and our water bodies clean so that the next generation will come and enjoy what God has given us.”