Nana Ohene Ntow, the special advisor to independent presidential aspirant Alan Kyerematen, has stated that Ghana requires new leadership to address the country’s challenges, including the issue of illegal small-scale mining (Galamsey). He criticized President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo for not effectively addressing the Galamsey problem.
“Where we are today with galamsey, with corruption, and economic mismanagement, we need a different kind of leader now, a leader people can dig deep into his background and check whether he can be trusted,” Ohene Ntow said on the Key Points on TV3 Saturday, September 7.
He added “The president has failed to fight galamsey, he said he was putting his presidency on the line but he has failed to put his presidency on the line, he is not a man of his word, this is not an insult, if anyone considers this an insult then I am sorry,” “The evidence of leadership failure today is humongous,” he stressed.
His comments come at a time when joint health sector unions have urgently called on the government to immediately ban all small-scale mining activities. In a joint statement, the leadership of these unions emphasized the critical need for the government to bolster regulatory and enforcement agencies to effectively combat the galamsey menace.
The public sector health associations and unions, including the Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association, Health Services Workers Union, Ghana Medical Association, Government and Hospital Pharmacists Association, Medical Laboratory Professional Workers Union, Mortuary Workers Association of Ghana, Ghana Association of Certified Anesthetists, Health Accounting Staff Association, and the Ghana Physician Assistant Association, have expressed grave concerns over the detrimental impact of galamsey on water bodies.
“The Ghana Water Company recently reported a reduction in water production by over 60% in the Western Region, 30% in the Central Region, with a total loss of 50% of treated water due to pollution and silting from galamsey activities,” the statement highlighted.
The union leaders are demanding swift government action to protect the nation’s water resources. “As associations and trade unions in the health sector, holding collective bargaining agreements on behalf of health sector employees, we demand that the government immediately bans all small-scale mining operations,” the statement read.
They further urged the government to strengthen regulatory enforcement by providing resources to relevant security agencies to clamp down on violators and ensure swift prosecution. All political parties should make public declarations and publish duly signed documents on their commitment to fight illegal and unethical mining activities in Ghana,” the unions added.
By: Laud Nartey
