SONA 2020:Gov’t won’t weaken stance on galamsey fight despite challenges – Nana Addo

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has reiterated his commitment to battling the issue of illegal small scale mining popularly referred to as ‘galamsey’ in the country.

Delivering the State of the Nation Address in Parliament on Thursday, the President indicated that government still stands by its position to use all available means to address the galamsey menace which continues to destroy large portions of the country’s vegetation cover and water resources.

This comes at a time when many have taken on the government for what many consider as government’s failure to deal with the menace as promised in the run-up to the 2016 general elections.

While commending the efforts of the media coalition against galamsey and the Inter-ministerial Committee against Illegal Mining, Nana Addo mentioned that he will ensure that no one neglects his or her responsibility in the fight to protect Ghana’s environment.

“When we came into office in January 2017, galamsey activities were rampant in many parts of the country. Our lands, forests and river bodies were being systematically degraded and destroyed without any care and this had been the case for several years. The previous NDC government had given up the fight against galamsey but we determined that this was an intolerable situation and we owed it to generations unborn to tackle the problem and save our environment. I was therefore not under any illusion about the size and scope of the problem that we are taking on.”

“I was cheered by the support of the large population that recognized the dangers posed by the degradation of our lands and water bodies and the needless deaths of many young people who were buried alive in makeshift mining pits. Mr. Speaker, the threat posed to the future of our country by galamsey is grave. We cannot shirk our responsibility in the fight against galamsey. Government will not weaken its stance and welcomes the continued support of the media coalition. The Inter-ministerial Committee against Illegal  Mining has been working very hard and has some successes.”