Finance and Economic Policy Analyst, Senyo Hosi, has accused the government of merely pretending to fight illegal mining, locally known as galamsey, saying the evidence on the ground suggests little genuine effort to address the environmental crisis.
Mr. Senyo Hosi criticized what he described as the government’s inconsistent and ineffective approach to tackling galamsey, arguing that the deteriorating state of Ghana’s rivers and forests tells a story of failure rather than progress.
“Are we fighting or pretending to be fighting? There are two different things,” he said. “If we are really fighting, then we should be winning. If we are winning, we should see improvement in our water bodies. I am not seeing improvement… so what is happening? Are we just selecting, picking, and choosing?”
Mr. Hosi cited the worsening turbidity or murkiness of several water bodies as proof that the problem has intensified under the current administration. He compared current pollution levels to those that sparked public outrage during former President Akufo-Addo’s tenure, noting that the situation is now far worse.
“If Kwanyako could get to almost 95,000 turbidities when we were screaming and shouting at Akufo-Addo for 14,000, what should we be doing right now?” he asked, suggesting that the current Mahama-led government must act with greater urgency and transparency.
‘Where Are the Kingpins?’
Mr. Hosi also criticized the government’s handling of arrests related to illegal mining, questioning why the financiers and organizers behind the operations often referred to as the “kingpins” have not been identified or prosecuted.
“The President said something very fundamental, he talked about the kingpins, because the boys there can’t go and buy their own excavators,” he said. “So where are the kingpins after ten months? If you have caught 1,400 people and have not been able to interview them well enough to find the financiers, then there is a big problem in this system.”
He argued that the government’s failure to pursue these major backers undermines the credibility of its anti-galamsey campaign, suggesting that politically connected individuals may be shielded from accountability.
“We can’t keep pretending,” Mr. Hosi concluded. “Until we go after those who profit the most, the destruction of our land and water will continue.”