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Professor Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang, the running mate to the National Democratic Congress (NDC) presidential candidate, has pledged that the NDC will teach illegal miners, known locally as “galamseyers,” how to engage in mining without harming water bodies and the environment.
Speaking to constituents in Amenfi Central, Western Region, Prof. Opoku-Agyemang criticized the current government’s failure to create job opportunities, which has forced many youths, particularly in rural areas, to turn to galamsey as a means of survival.
She acknowledged the environmental devastation caused by illegal mining but emphasized the need to protect the livelihoods of the miners while promoting responsible mining practices.
She highlighted that the NDC’s plan would involve training miners on how to extract gold without causing environmental damage, thereby safeguarding their future, health, and the well-being of their communities.
“We have come with good intentions, to show a better way,” she assured the crowd, while adding that the NDC remains committed to solving the unemployment crisis that drives the youth to illegal mining.
This comes amid calls for a clear stance on galamsey from both the NDC and the New Patriotic Party (NPP), with growing public demands for a ban on the practice or a declaration of a state of emergency to address the menace.
However, the NPP has indicated that it does not intend to ban galamsey, according to Dr. Nana Ayew Afriyie, a Member of Parliament for Effiduase Asokore.
