The President of the Small-Scale Miners Association, Micheal Kojo Peprah has confirmed that Bernard Antwi-Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi, was truly engaged in galamsey, the illegal small-scale mining activity that has caused massive environmental damage across Ghana.
According to him, the country now stands a genuine chance of tackling the long-standing galamsey menace under the current government, as President John Dramani Mahama has vowed to ensure that every politician or miner involved in illegal mining will be punished without fear or favour.
He contrasted this with the previous administration, accusing former President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo of turning a blind eye while politically connected miners continued their operations without proper documentation, simply because they were affiliated with the ruling party at the time.
“If you want to be a miner, then don’t take a political position,” he stressed, noting that during the previous government, many of the mines had people occupying political offices, which made it difficult for the president at the time to act against them.
While he declined to mention other names, he confirmed Chairman Wontumi’s case, adding that some of these politicians have since apologised for their actions.
He concluded by expressing hope that under President Mahama’s leadership, no one involved in illegal mining would be above the law, and that Ghana might finally see genuine action taken to protect its environment and water bodies from further destruction.
