The United Front Party (UFP) has joined the call for the depoliticisation of the fight against illegal mining popularly known as galamsey.
According to the leader and founder of UFP, Nana Agyenim Boateng, the fight needs a holistic and collaborative approach from all stakeholders.
He believes rather than resorting to demonstrations and industrial actions, it is important for stakeholders to support the government in tackling the menace irrespective of political affiliation.
He also urged traditional authorities to join the fight, as they are custodians of the land.
Speaking at a news conference in Kumasi, Boateng thus urged the government to ensure all perpetrators are held accountable.
“As a political party, we think a holistic and collective approach will be the game changer to tackle the canker rather than resorting to demonstrations and economic shutdown by some unions in the country. Civil society, academia, trade unions, and religious organisations have all joined forces to put pressure on the government to immediately ban all forms of small mining as a measure of eliminating galamsey but as a political party, we think this is not the best approach to tackle the fight. The various groups contended that irresponsible mining is not only an environmental issue but also a matter of injustice and against the right to a clean environment and good health for a person and future generations.
“We, therefore, urge the government of Ghana to lead a change in holding perpetrators accountable and ensuring that the damages caused to our natural resources are reversed, especially when Ghana signed into the international protocols and conventions that enjoin us to promote and ensure environmental protection,” he stated.
