Abdul Malik Kwaku Baako Jnr, the editor-in-chief of the New Crusading Guide, has queried why the security agencies have not been able to arrest those who buy cocoa lands to use for illegal mining or galamsey.
According to Baako, it is common knowledge this practice is ongoing yet those perpetrating it are not being arrested.
He called out the security agencies for failing in their jobs to arrest these criminal miners.
“People are selling lands meant for cocoa lands to galamseyers, other farmers are being driven out by these activities. Both the buyer and the seller I have a problem with but the buyer is where my emphasis is. So if the sellers can be encouraged to tell us who the buyers are, why not.” Baako Jnr said on Peace Fm.
“Are the people buying galamsey lands ghost? No, they are not. With a little intelligence gathering, even collaborating with the sellers, these galamseyers can be caught. The point is that even though the land belongs to the farmers the minerals under them belong to the state. So, there is clearly some element of criminality if the farmers are selling the lands to people who are going to dig for the minerals beneath them,” he continued.
His comments come as the issue of galamsey has again taken over the national discourse.
On Thursday, October 6th 2022, President Nana Akufo-Addo held a meeting with the National House of Chiefs at Manhyia to discuss the way forward.
Meanwhile, there are reports that small-scale mining is now affecting the cocoa sector as some farmers are reportedly selling their farmlands to prospective miners.
Source: theGhanaianVoice.Com