Senior Vice President of IMANI Africa, Kofi Bentil, has expressed deep frustration over the government’s handling of galamsey, suggesting that despite years of rhetoric and numerous interventions, there has been little to no real progress.
Speaking on JoyNews’ Newsfile programme, Mr. Bentil said the country’s anti-galamsey efforts have been long on talk but short on results.
“We’ve talked and talked. I have said all kinds of things, some taken, some not taken. But look, activity is not the same as progress. We are seeing a lot of activity, a lot of talk, but no progress.
“Galamsey is getting worse, so we don’t need more talk,” he lamented.
Mr. Bentil noted that the government’s much-publicised measures, including legislation, institutional frameworks, and financial mobilization, have failed to yield meaningful outcomes.
“Despite all the mountain of talk when this government came in, nothing or not much has been done in terms of stopping galamsey.
“We’ve passed laws, created institutions, and even mobilised billions of dollars’ worth of gold,but we have not been able to stop galamsey,” he stated.
The IMANI Vice President said he has reluctantly come to the conclusion that the galamsey fight is unwinnable under the current political leadership due to what he perceives as a lack of sincerity at the highest levels of government.
“I’ve come to the conclusion that we will not win the galamsey fight.
“There is no sincerity in doing that. It is not you and I who have to solve galamsey, it is the President, his cabinet, his ministers, and the people we have given authority to.
“To me, they have no interest in solving it because they think not solving it has better political benefits for them,” Mr. Bentil declared.
