Communications Officer of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), Sammy Gyamfi, has added his voice to calls for the President to stop the burning of excavators and other equipment intercepted as part of an ongoing clampdown on illegal mining activities.
The burning of the excavators and other equipment, which is part of the Operation Halt campaign led by the military, has become topical, with many saying it is illegal.
Government spokespersons, and recently President Nana Akufo-Addo himself, have said they are on the side of the law.Â
On Wednesday, May 26, 2021, the President challenged his critics to test the legality of his decision in court if they are convinced that he is breaking the law.
The criticisms have intensified since then.
On Thursday, May 27, 2021, Sammy Gyamfi took to Twitter to say that the provisions under Ghana’s Minerals and Mining Act stipulate a more effective punishment for illegal miners than torching equipment on site.
“The prosecution and 15-25 year imprisonment of illegal miners as provided under our Minerals and Mining Act, is a more deterrent and effective way of fighting the “galamsey†menace than the burning of Excavators. #StopTheLawlessness,†he wrote on his Twitter handle.
The government has said the burning of excavators, water pumps, and chanfans used by illegal small scale miners along water bodies and deep forests is a swift way to fight the menace that has been destroying Ghana’s water bodies and entire ecosystems.
Government said in the past, seizing the equipment has not helped the fight as they have found their way back to the owners.
While many have praised the ongoing clampdown on galamsey, they say the immediate torching of the equipment is ill-advised because they could be put to use during reclamation and road construction.