Galamsey thrived under Mahama – Prof. Martey

Former moderator of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana Professor Emmanuel Martey has said illegal mining boomed under the government of former President John Mahama but failed to deal with it despite his promptings.

He said Mahama identified the cause of illegal mining in the country.

Addressing journalists in Koforidua on Monday, 22 May, he said, "I don’t want to go into politics but it was in Mahama’s administration that this thing [galamsey] became worse. I met Mahama, we sat down and I complained about this galamsey. He told me that he was able to identify the Ghanaian who was bringing the Chinese to Ghana so they will deal with it. But rather, things got worse, so if the government will sit up and selflessly manage our country, this galamsey business will be solved."

The Akufo-Addo government declared zero tolerance for galamsey right after coming into office.

A six-month ban has been placed on all forms of small-scale mining – both legal and illegal – as the government takes measures to regularise the industry.

Rev Martey, however, commended the government of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo for his fight against galamsey.

"It is too early to say that the present administration is not doing well. In fact it is because they have come, and thanks to the media everybody knows that galamsey is a necessary evil which ought to be eliminated," he said.