Fuseini Issah: We must have nationalistic resolution to “galamsey” menace

Former Okaikwei North Member of Parliament (MP), Fuseini Issah, has urged Ghanaians to avoid politicising the country’s ongoing illegal mining crisis, commonly known as “galamsey.” 

Speaking on Asaase Radio’s The Forum on  Saturday (14 September), Issah called for a united front to tackle the issue, warning that politicising “galamsey” could have serious consequences.

“We should see a nationalistic resolution to this whole menace and get to fight the people who are our real enemies,” Issah said. “If we politicise the matter to this extent, then it’s going to be scary.”

Issah expressed concern over recent actions by various groups, including threats to stage protests if their demands for a total ban on mining are not met. He cautioned against reactionary measures, urging patience and a collective approach to resolving the crisis.

“I have heard people and some of the associations demand that there is a total ban on mining activity at this stage and some of them have actually put timelines to some actions that they intend to take if their threats are not heeded to and I think that we should all just cool our ourselves.”

Issah singled out the University Teachers Association of Ghana (UTAG) for criticism, suggesting that, as an academic body, they should focus on offering solutions rather than issuing strike threats.

“When we have national challenges like this, I would expect that it is not always going to be a threat of embarking on some strike action one or the other, but I expect that they [propose] some solutions as well.”

“It’s true, somebody is at the helm of affairs, somebody has the executive power, but it’s also good that we all behave as nationals of this great nation of ours that we love so much and protect our very existence.”

Despite acknowledging the existential threat posed by “galamsey,” Issah stressed the importance of balancing the needs of the economy. 

He noted that the small-scale mining sector employs over one million Ghanaians, far more than the large-scale operations, which provide around 13,000 jobs. 

The sector contributes significantly to the country’s economy, making up 8.1% of GDP in 2023, with projections suggesting this will rise to 8.4% in 2024.

“I think that given the figures that I have put out when you are in the saddle as a government, you need to play a balancing act. Today, looking at the state of our economy, looking at where cocoa is, looking at where our oil is, looking at our access to forex for an import-dependent economy like ours, it is something that you have to take action, but in taking action, you have to balance all these acts,” Issah said.

However, fellow panellist on The Forum, Kwame Jantuah, a member of the Convention People’s Party (CPP), rejected the need for a “balancing act,” arguing that the environmental damage caused by “galamsey,” particularly the pollution of water bodies, poses a far greater threat to Ghana.

“The problem isn’t economic, the problem isn’t jobs; the problem is water. When you look at our water bodies, they are all polluted with different types of chemicals, which is gradually and slowly killing our country, Ghana. That is where the problem is; that is where we need action, not [an] interministerial committee,” Jantuah said, calling for a ban on small-scale mining.

Jantuah urged President Nana Akufo-Addo to take decisive action, stating, “You need an intervention but that intervention should be drastic.”

“The first thing he has to do he should tell us from this point to this point we are banning small-scale mining so that we can re-examine what we need to do.”

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