Convener of the Media Coalition Against Illegal Mining, Dr Ken Ashigbey, says Ghana has failed to honour the memory of the eight people who died in last year’s helicopter crash while travelling to support efforts against illegal mining.

He says the country’s continued struggle with illegal mining, despite the sacrifices made by those who died, raises serious questions about its commitment to the fight against galamsey.

Speaking on Joy News’ PM Express on Wednesday, Dr Ashigbey said illegal mining continues openly in areas where state institutions are expected to enforce the law.

“How dare all of us that you have in a year, a police station overlooking a river where galamsey is taking place, and we allow that to happen. How dare all of us that we have these people die?”

He cited several locations where illegal mining activities, he said, continue despite efforts to curb the practice.

“Ask Erastus Asare Donkor what we are calling the responsible mining that they were going to launch when he speaks to a man who is mining in a waterway by the Bekwai road, just by the road, and nothing is happening to him.”

Dr Ashigbey also pointed to the situation along the Bonsu-Enyinem-Osino stretch, where he said illegal mining continues openly.

“How dare all of us that on the road from Bonsu through Enyinem, through Osino, and hidden in clear sight, people are just doing these things with reckless abandon.”

He said the failure to make meaningful progress in the fight against galamsey means the country may not have done enough to honour those who died in the line of duty.

“So for me, unfortunately, including myself, I’m not too sure we’ve honoured them.”

Dr Ashigbey said the concerns extend to the country’s water resources, accusing authorities of failing to provide regular information on water quality despite calls for greater transparency.

“One of the asks that we had as civil society of the President, which he told us was going to happen, is the fact that they were going to publish the water quality results on a monthly basis.”

He said the continued pollution of water bodies was already affecting water treatment operations.

“But we can tell you that if you go to Kyebi currently, the water treatment plant is shut. It is because the turbidity of water you can’t you can you can’t operate it because what will go into it will be sludge.”

Dr Ashigbey said the situation requires stronger action from all stakeholders, including those responsible for making decisions on illegal mining.

“We will do what we have to do humanly possible, but we need the intervention, including everybody who has to take a decision. Who is failing us?”

He concluded by returning to the sacrifices made by those who died while supporting the national effort against illegal mining.

“So definitely, from what we are seeing, we have unfortunately not honoured these people who have died in the quest of saying that they are going to save all of us our lives. We have not honoured them.”