Rev. Dr Kwabena Opuni-Frimpong, a former General Secretary of the Christian Council, has advised politicians to be very careful regarding public comments on galamsey as reported by myjoyoline.com.

He believes that some of their comments seem to support the dangerous practice.

He said, “Some of our ministers of state must be a bit mindful of their statements. Some of their statements are hurting and are very contradictory. If I hear a minister saying if not for mining, the dollar would have been GH¢25 … the more some of them talk like this in public, it suggests that they are taking us for granted. In fact, some are even saying, as for mining, we won’t stop,” he said.

He condemned some of the conflicting comments from some government officials, cautioning that they could be interpreted as dismissive of public concerns.

Dr. Opuni-Frimpong’s comments were prompted by the remarks made by Sulemanu Koney, CEO of the Ghana Chamber of Mines, stating that the mining sector plays a vital role in stabilising the local currency.

Koney said that the cedi could have depreciated even further, possibly reaching GH¢25 to $1.

Other politicians agree with this view, including NPP MP Dr. Ayew Afriyie, who recently claimed that the government has no plans to ban galamsey regardless of the constant pressure from environmental groups and the public.

In light of this, Rev. Opuni-Frimpong urged the public not to ease up on their protest.

He emphasised the need for more pressure on the government to tackle the issue.

He added that the environmental damage caused by galamsey should not be ignored.

Dr. Opuni-Frimpong urged the University Teachers Association of Ghana (UTAG) to persist in its advocacy efforts, highlighting the importance of collective actions to ensure that the government takes the concerns of citizens seriously.

He said, “We must not give an inch; we must all go out to let the government know that we are serious. They are hurting us."

RAD/OGB

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