A Lecturer at the Faculty of Built and Natural Environment at the Koforidua Technical University, Mr Stephen Kojo Tsika, says to stamp out illegal mining, famously known as galamsey, the country would need a strong-willed and a God-like leader to lead the fight against illegal mining.
He said that without strong leadership, the problem of the destruction of forest reserves and water bodies by illegal mining will persist.
According to Mr. Stephen Tsika, there are laws to ensure such perpetrators are punished but no one responsible entity is ready to do so.
He mentioned in an interview with Obeng Darko of Spice FM, that the implementation of the law is more important than enacting it.
” We need strong leadership; a god-like leader who won’t favour others at the expense of others. It takes one leader to change the course of a country, so if you don’t get a strong leadership, which is blind to friends and family, we will continue to suffer, ” Mr. Tsika said.
Mr. Stephen Tsika observed that Ghana is not performing well in the preservation of the environment as well as the natural resources endowed in the land.
Research showed that Ghana is left with less than 1 million hectares of trees due to illegal mining, which is having dire consequences on water bodies thus causing water crises in the country.
Mr. Stephen Tsika admonished that meaningful institutions such as the EPA and the Minerals Commission rise to enforce the laws on illegal mining.
” The implementation of the law is more important than enacting the law. We have laws that prohibit illegal mining, but we don’t enforce them. People mine openly because the law doesn’t bite. Until we become committed to fighting it as one people, nothing will change.
The law must topple the illegalities if the rightful entities were working, are sitting aloof,” He added.
