Convenor of the Media Coalition Against Galamsey, Dr. Ing. Kenneth Ashigbey, has raised serious concerns about President Akufo-Addo's silence on the ongoing illegal mining crisis, commonly known as galamsey.

Despite repeated calls to declare a state of emergency to combat this environmental disaster, the President has not personally addressed the issue, leading to doubts about his commitment to resolving the problem.

Dr Ashigbey noted the stark difference between President Akufo-Addo’s current inaction and his strong stance against galamsey in 2017 when he declared that he was willing to put his presidency on the line to end illegal mining.

This shift in approach has sparked widespread concern, given the severe impact of galamsey on the country’s environment and natural resources.

In an interview on Channel One on Tuesday, September 24, Dr Ashigbey urged the President to show the same dedication to fighting galamsey as he did in leading the country through the COVID-19 pandemic.

He called on the government to take urgent and decisive action to stop the illegal mining activities that continue to devastate Ghana’s water bodies and farmlands.

Dr Ashigbey reiterated that strong leadership is needed to address this crisis, adding that the country cannot afford to allow galamsey to persist unchecked.

He called for renewed efforts to tackle the issue and protect the environment for future generations.

“Currently, the only person who can act is the commander-in-chief. It’s H.E President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo who has to act."

“He demonstrated it during COVID-19, the fact that he rallied the country around, he made us sleep and everybody did it, we all saw the reason why we needed to do it, it was an emergency. The President needs to realise the fact that it’s the emergency that confronts us."

“It’s been painfully quiet, the loudness of his silence is deafening. He demonstrated it before, in 2017, when he said he was prepared to put his presidency on the line, even, we saw what happened to the turbidity of the water, it reduced. Maybe a month, declare a state of emergency, get the military people. He has the power and should be able to do it, there are no alternatives,” he said.