President Akufo-Addo at Colorado in the United States stated that the government has made mistakes with deportation of Aisha the galamseyer, this said woman was charged with multiple counts of offense for mining illegally in the country. These were said after the president participated in the 74th United Nations General Assembly.
The New law for punishing illegal miners in the country is 20 years jail terms and the government thought that if it hadn’t rushed with the process, Aisha would have been served the same fate. Illegal mining is not only a disgrace to the country but it is actually killing the people of Ghana.
The notoriety of Aisha is widely unacceptable and deportation is not a well served punishment. Ghana have gone through so much pain when it comes to galamsey and its evil. The water bodies have been destroyed and all people in these poor communities see is mud due galamsey.
I was pained when I visited the Ashanti back in February, in the flight you could watch down and see the negative impact of galamsey, it’s all a pity and it all seems as though these galamseyers and their financiers do not even understand corporate social responsibility.
“Aisha had been charged with three counts of undertaking small-scale mining operations, contrary to Section 99 (1) of the Minerals and Mining Act, 2006 (Act 703); providing mining support services without valid registration with the Minerals Commission, contrary to the Minerals and Mining Act, 2006 (Act 703), and the illegal employment of foreign nationals, contrary to the Immigration Act, 2000 (Act 573)”.
Ghana has had its fair share of the negative effects of galamsey, we need to put in place rigorous measures that would eradicate everything leading to galamsey, putting people in prison for 25 years seems like a good idea. But I don’t think some few individuals in prison is equal to a community lacking drinkable water and fertile farming lands.
Dear Nana Addo, the jail term is a beautiful punishment for those destroying our lands but please let’s come up with an idea that would deter people from the act completely, Aisha was supposed to be a good example to Ghanaians and the world at large, we don’t know why her prosecution and deportation was rushed but that’s another story.
It would be very difficult for us to point a finger towards a Ghanaian leader who is involved in the galamsey business or who is championing it from behind but I think the government of Ghana would do its citizens a lot of great service should one be served as an example.
I think those individuals personally involved should be matched boot for boot until actual justice is served, should I have my way or be a law maker in Ghana, galamsey would get the necessary attention that campaigning for elections does.
Every little thing leading to winning the fight should be treated like canvasing for votes in every corner of the country, health is more than wealth and that is because wealth without a good health is meaningless and worthless, given our people the peace they deserve by fighting galamsey would be a great one.
