Stakeholders within the energy sector are calling on the government to implement a definitive and enforceable timeline to address the issue of illegal mining, often referred to as galamsey.
They assert that it is crucial to hold relevant authorities accountable within a specified timeframe to effectively address this challenge.
Certain stakeholders contend that those with political ties who participate in illegal mining should be prioritized for action before focusing on small-scale miners operating on the ground.
Benjamin Nsiah, Executive Director of the Centre for Environmental Management and Sustainable Energy (CEMSE), stressed the importance of taking decisive measures.
“As a nation, we must establish a clear timeline to resolve this issue. During this period, we need to identify and tackle the factors driving unsustainable mining practices,” he remarked.
Nsiah also suggested employing frameworks such as the GON theory, typically used in corruption research, to gain insight into the motivations behind galamsey.
“Some individuals engage in illegal mining due to opportunity, others out of necessity, and some because of the privileges they hold at the highest levels of governance,” he clarified.
