A leading member of the United Party (UP) has called on President John Dramani Mahama to dismiss and prosecute public officials who fail to curb illegal mining activities in their jurisdictions.
Speaking on TV3, the UP member argued that the fight against galamsey should not focus solely on illegal miners but also on state officials who allegedly allow the practice to continue unchecked.
“He must dismiss and prosecute,” he said.
According to him, illegal mining sites are not difficult to locate, and he insists that authorities have no excuse for failing to identify and act against those involved.
“If you go to any area, you don’t need any special intelligence. Just ask the taxi drivers; they will tell you who the site owners are,” he stated.
He further claimed to have witnessed illegal mining operations taking place close to police checkpoints while travelling through parts of the Western Region, suggesting that enforcement agencies were aware of the activities.
The UP member urged President Mahama to make the fight against illegal mining a defining achievement of his administration by holding public officials accountable for enforcement failures.
“The people of this country want to see you leave a legacy. That legacy must include dealing constructively and precisely with galamsey,” he said.
He proposed that district chief executives, police commanders and other officials in areas where illegal mining persists should be removed from office and prosecuted if investigations establish their involvement or negligence.
“You fire your DCEs, you fire all the police commanders over there and we prosecute them,” he added.
His remarks come amid renewed public calls for tougher measures to tackle illegal mining, which continues to pose a significant threat to Ghana’s forests, water bodies and environment.
