Galamsey fight: ‘Move beyond rhetoric’- Afenyo-Markin to John Mahama
The Minority Leader in Parliament, Alexander Afenyo-Markin, has urged the government to move beyond rhetoric and take concrete action against illegal mining, popularly known as galamsey.
The Effutu MP lamented that the menace has worsened water challenges in his constituency and across the country.
“The situation is real. In my own constituency, we cannot get safe water to drink because of galamsey. And I know many people who are going through difficult times because of this. Let us fight this together. Else, there will be no Ghana for us,” he said.
Speaking at the Young Commons Forum at the University of Professional Studies, Accra (UPSA), Afenyo-Markin called on the NDC administration to match its strong public stance on illegal mining with decisive measures.
“When our friends were in opposition, they were very loud in their desire to fight galamsey. I think enough of the rhetoric. This destructive practice is stealing your future. It is robbing farmers of fertile soil, poisoning the water of our children, and destroying the environment you and I must inherit.
“If we allow galamsey to continue unchecked, then we are complicit in selling tomorrow for today’s greed,” he warned.
The Minority Leader also challenged the youth to take the lead in the fight against illegal mining.
“I, therefore, challenge you, the youth, to be at the forefront of this fight, to speak up, protect our rivers, and to insist on sustainable ways of harnessing Ghana’s natural resources,” he added.
