Organised Labour has reiterated its call for decisive action against illegal mining, commonly known as galamsey, following a crucial meeting with the Ad-hoc Inter-Ministerial Committee on September 17, 2024.
The committee, established by the President of the Republic, aims to engage stakeholders in the fight against the galamsey menace that continues to devastate the country.
Joshua Ansah, Secretary General of Organised Labour, in a press release issued in Accra on Tuesday, September 17, 2024, noted that the meeting, led by the Minister for National Security, Albert Kan-Dapaah, provided a detailed account of the government's efforts to combat illegal mining.
However, he said Organised Labour expressed its dissatisfaction with past governmental efforts, deeming them insufficient to halt the destructive practice and its adverse effects.
Ansah said Organised Labour additionally demanded that the government revoke the Forest (Cessation of Forest Reserve) (Amendment) Instrument, 2023 (E.I.
234) and a pact signed by all political parties to ban galamsey.
While the government team accepted these proposals, he said they requested additional time to consult with other stakeholders and develop a comprehensive roadmap to address the galamsey menace.
Ansah further noted that the government assured Organised Labour that it would respond to their specific demands within a week.
He stressed that Organised Labour emphasised that its initial demands and timelines remained unchanged as should the government fail to provide a favourable response by the end of September 2024, Organised Labour is prepared to take further action. "We continue to count on the support of our members and well-meaning Ghanaians and urge all to remain resolute in our quest to ensure our self-preservation and a complete cessation of galamsey in our country," he added.