The recent attack on a member of the Forestry Commission’s Rapid Response team by armed illegal miners in the Offin Shelterbelt Forest Reserve in the Ashanti Region has sparked political discussions.
This has put pressure on the government to accelerate its efforts to address the issue of illegal mining, also known as galamsey, in the country.
Following the incident, President John Dramani Mahama issued a directive barring all government appointees from engaging in any form of legal or illegal mining as part of efforts to tackle Ghana’s environmental crisis.
The President’s instruction has sparked debates among Ghanaians, with some political critics condemning his decision, while others applaud the gesture.
The Chairman of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Council of Elders for South Africa, Benjamin Kofi Quashie, has also shared his opinion on the incident and the government’s plan to address the situation.
Mr. Quashie, who spoke on Joy Prime’s Prime Morning show, reiterated the President’s decision not to prevent the media and Ghanaians from seeking accountability, assuring that the government is working tirelessly to make galamsey unattractive to those who might consider engaging in it.
