Authorities must thoroughly investigate claims by some illegal miners (gallamsey) that they had bribed the Konongo-Odumase Municipal Chief Executive and District Police Commander as a result of which they have been allowed to undertake their illegal mining activities in the municipality.
They made the allegations after the police had swooped and arrested a number of them who were busily operating close to the Accra-Kumasi highway.
Though the MCE, Mr Thomas Osei Bonsu and the Police Commander have both denied the allegation in separate media interviews, the Ghana Police Service and the Local Government Ministry must further probe this case to establish whether indeed the personalities involved are culpable or not and appropriate action taken. It will be wrong to allow the allegation to hang over the heads of the two key persons responsible for law and order in the Konongo-Odumase Municipality.
This could undermine their authority and we advise them to take steps to redeem their image by supporting our call for investigation.
TODAY understands that the Municipal Security Coordinating Council has launched a crusade against gallamsey operations; it is therefore possible that the allegation is a red herring but should not stop us from investigating it.
Meanwhile we are delighted by the announcement that some 66 mining concessions have been reserved for small scale mining in the country.
This initiative is long overdue. Hitherto, the state has not benefited from gallamsey mining and this attempt to regularize gallamsey operations will rake in the much needed revenue from the sector for national development.
However, TODAY is urging the Minerals Commission to ensure that strict application of the mining law and ensure that we do not record another case of human displacement, brutality, environmental degradation or any ill associated with mining.
The Commission should consider upgrading the skills of the gallamsey boys to reduce damage to the water bodies and the environment.
We must also go beyond just mining the raw minerals and ensure value addition to maximize revenue.
