Kwasi Bonzoh, the District Chief Executive of Ellembelle has called for a shift in conversations around illegal mining, locally known as galamsey.
Kwasi Bonzoh is concerned that while authorities and the public engage in name-calling and blame games, the destructive activities of illegal miners continue unabated.
The Ellembelle DCE who has been commended widely for his dedication to the fight against Illegal mining stated on JoyNews’ Newsfile program that instead of focusing on name-calling, attention should be re-switched to tackling the canker.
Kwasi Bonzoh lamented the rising spate of illegal mining in parts of the country, warning that a disaster could befall the country in the near future if drastic measures are not deployed to tackle the situation.
Kwasi Bonzoh called for an enforcement of the regulations around mining so as to deal with the situation.
“It must be nice with the name-calling but I don’t think that we should be focused with the name-calling. Let us look at the solution; the problems we all know but what are the solutions?” he asked.
The concerns of Kwasi Bonzoh comes on the back of a leaked report by former former Environment Minister, Prof Frimpong Boateng in which certain members of the governing New Patriotic Party were cited as alleged culprits in the galamsey menace.
Among the names mentioned were Information Minister, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah and private legal practitioner, Gabby Asare Otchere-Darko. Both men have denied the allegations with the latter instituting legal action against Professor Frimpong Boateng.
Gabby Otchere-Darko has sued Professor Frimpong Boateng at the Accra High Court, demanding GH¢10 million as General Damages, retraction and apology.