James Agalga, Ranking Member, Defence and Interior Committee of Parliament, has charged the government under the leadership of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to get rid of some persons connected to illegal small-scale mining activities.
According to the Builsa North MP, until such 'big characters' are dealt with, Ghana will continue to lose the fight against galamsey.
Speaking in a Joy News interview, Tuesday, September 13, the MP noted that the fight against galamsey must be tackled head-on without any favour for persons with political affiliation.
“Government must start being proactive. They must get rid of the internal characters who are neck-deep involved in ‘galamsey’ activities but in one way or the other have found their way into government.
“For me, that is the starting point. When the government is able to rid itself of the elements involved in ‘galamsey’ from within, then we would be able to tackle the problem head-on…Not until we do tackle the fight from within, there would be collision here and there and that will make the fight against galamsey very difficult and delusional,” James Agalga said.
Since the re-arrest of Aisha Huang - a notorious Chinese galamseyer, there have been discussions as to whether Ghana is winning or losing the galamsey fight.
Aisha Huang, who was deported in 2018 mysteriously returned to the country.
Immediately after she came back to the country she went into galamsey again until she was rearrested in Kumasi with other accomplices.
It has been alleged that a Ghanaian landlord of Aisha Huang, blew her cover after she returned to Ghana.
Per media reportage, Aisha Huang, is said to have threatened the landlord for renting the house to another tenant when her rent had not expired.
President of the Small Scale Miners Association, Michael Kwadwo Peprah, in an interview on Asempa FM’s Ekosii Sen programme explained that, when Ms Huang was deported, the landlord secured a court order and removed her belongings from the house and rented it to another Chinese national.
However, when she sneaked into the country, she felt cheated and resorted to threats.
Meanwhile, Godfred Yeboah Dame, has indicated that the AG's office will prosecute Aisha Huang for her past and recent crimes.
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James Agalga