Former Chair of the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Illegal Mining, Professor Kwabena Frimpong-Boateng, has expressed concerns about Ghana's current state of leadership and the impact of illegal mining (galamsey) on the nation's future.
Speaking on the Keypoints on Saturday, November 30, 2024, he highlighted the significant environmental and socio-economic threats posed by galamsey and called for a decisive shift in governance to address these challenges.
Frimpong-Boateng reflected on leadership lessons from global figures like Singapore's Lee Kuan Yew, whose dedication to science and technology transformed his nation from a struggling fishing village to a global powerhouse.
Despite its abundant resources such as cocoa, gold, and water, Ghana has failed to achieve similar progress due to leadership lapses, he lamented. "Leadership is supposed to ensure the survival of the people and meet basic needs," he stated. "The destruction of water bodies, farmlands, forests, and biodiversity is setting the stage for a catastrophic future, including widespread hunger and environmental collapse." The professor drew attention to the widespread destruction caused by galamsey, likening it to "daily earthquakes" in affected areas.
