Lawyer and Governance expert, Dr. Eric Oduro Osae has called for the decentralization of the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Illegal Mining (IMCIM).

According to him, the fight against illegal mining also known as 'galamsey' is not being as effective as expected due to the absence of key stakeholders such as the District Chief Executives and Assembly Members.

He stated that making the DCEs and Assembly Members mere implementers of strategies from the IMCIM rather than partakers in formulating the strategies defeats the purpose for which the IMCIM was established.

“I think the activities of the Inter-Ministerial committee should be properly decentralized because the action spots are in the towns and communities.

“But the committee meets in Accra, takes decisions for implementation out there expecting DCEs to take charge. But the DCEs are not members of the Inter-Ministerial Committee on illegal mining.

“So I think they should decentralize it and then we should take this fight seriously. I can understand the decision of the President to fight it but he can’t be everywhere that is why delegation and decentralization are important.

"So if his men and women are failing him, he should muster the courage to fire them. Fire one, two, three people and the others will sit up,” he said.

Dr. Eric Oduro Osae also called for the de-politicisation of the fight against Galamsey.

According to him, the fight against galamsey has gotten to a point where people would have to look at the issue without their political lenses and attack it head-on.

“Ghanaians must wake up. Citizens must be properly educated for them to understand the implications. This will enable them join the fight at the base because it looks as if we’re losing it,” he said.