Physician and political activist, Dr Arthur Kennedy, has expressed deep concerns over the failure of Ghana's major political parties to effectively address the growing problem of illegal mining, known locally as galamsey.

He criticised the lack of genuine commitment to fighting the menace, attributing it to the vested interests of influential figures within the political sphere.

Speaking on JoyNews' Newsfile on Saturday, October 19, 2024, Dr Kennedy claimed that many Members of Parliament and prominent political figures are either directly involved in or financially benefiting from illegal mining operations.

He argued that as long as these individuals remain protected, efforts to combat galamsey will be undermined, leading to continued environmental degradation.

Galamsey has posed a serious threat to Ghana’s natural resources, particularly its water bodies, land, and forest reserves.

Despite widespread public outcry and calls for government action, Dr Kennedy highlighted that the political will to address the issue has been insufficient, with parties reluctant to take decisive action.

In a bid to seek broader solutions, Dr Kennedy revealed that he had personally appealed to the Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu II to intervene.

He suggested that the traditional leader engage the key political parties in discussions aimed at finding an extraordinary solution to the galamsey crisis, which continues to ravage the country's environment.

Dr Kennedy emphasised that overcoming the galamsey problem will require more than political rhetoric.

It demands strong political will and a united effort from all stakeholders, including traditional authorities, political leaders, and civil society groups. Without such coordinated action, he warned that the illegal mining threat would persist.

“I have already appealed twice to the Asantehene to reach out to the key parties and solve this."

“Let’s find the big people who are funding them to arrest them and sentence them to prison and most of the big people are party elders and Members of Parliament. We are beating around the bush."

“If we want to solve the problem, we must go to the source and solve it. But none of the political parties will solve it. As I have proposed, we need extraordinary measures to solve this,” he stated.