Educationist and Social Commentator, Alhassan Salifu Bawah has launched a scathing critique of some academics, civil society organizations (CSOs), and sections of the media, accusing them of spreading fear instead of offering solutions to Ghana’s illegal mining crisis.
In a strongly worded opinion piece titled “Researchers or Merchants of Doom?”, Mr. Bawah said the issue of galamsey “is clearly bringing to light the weak fundamentals of some organisations and individuals, hence their submissions in public are exposing their insincerity and double standards.”
He likened the behaviour of some professionals to a meteorological agency that fails to warn citizens of an impending storm, yet “turns around to bash the government for not putting in measures to mitigate the suffering of the affected citizens.”
“When so-called professionals abandon their mandate and join in scaremongering, because it is the easy way out, it is nothing short of shameful and disgraceful!” he declared.
Mr. Bawah argued that the galamsey menace has existed for generations, noting that “Ghana’s colonial masters did not start galamsey, neither did Nkrumah, J. A. Ankrah, Afrifa, Busia, Acheampong, F. W. K. Akuffo, Chairman Rawlings (AFRC), Limann, Chairman Rawlings (PNDC), President Rawlings (NDC), J. A. Kufour, Atta Mills, John Mahama (1st Term), Akufo-Addo, nor John Mahama (2nd Term).”
He pointed to the Minerals and Mining Act, 2006 (Act 703) and the Environmental Protection (Mining in Forest Reserves) Regulations, 2022 (L.I. 2462) as evidence that galamsey had been an entrenched problem long before now, adding that the 2022 regulation “opened the gates of our forest reserves to mining activities [and] further exacerbated the problem.”
Citing Attorney General Hon. Dominic Ayine, Mr. Bawah noted that L.I. 2462 is “aiding and abetting galamsey,” and that “it is set to be repealed.”
He welcomed the establishment of the National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS), saying it aims to “‘sniff the life out’ of illegal and irresponsible miners.”
He urged academics and researchers to focus on practical solutions rather than calls for a state of emergency, writing: “Apart from taking the easy route by joining the street calls for the declaration of an old fashioned and a ‘Mercy Cream’ type of cure, thus a state of emergency, what intellectual solution has the University Teachers Associations proffered towards finding a lasting cure for the monster christened galamsey?”
He continued: “What Ghana is in dire need of at present, are pragmatic solutions to take it out of its current lagging behind state, and not scaremongering.”
Taking aim at researchers warning about toxic water, he wrote: “The so-called toxicologists in short, are saying that the public should stop using tap water to cook, bath, wash, and perform ablution in the case of Moslems, because the water contains toxins, perfect! Now, what are the alternatives they are putting forward to the ordinary man on street who can’t afford expensive treated water?”
Mr. Bawah concluded that it is “disingenuous for some intellectuals to chicken out of their core duty of conducting research to find possible solutions to the country’s problems, but have rather without shame, assumed the roles of the media, CSOs, and attention seekers, to create fear and panic in society.”
“The Meteo Agency, no matter what, will always endeavour to warn the public of impending adverse weather conditions, while the Police Service, without doubt, will at all times assure the public of having the situation under control and being on heels of the perpetrator,” he added.
“This is what is expected of professionals and not the kind of cheap attention position taken by some university teachers as doom merchants!”
