The Executive Director of Eco-Conscious Citizens, Awulah Serwah, has strongly criticized the amendment of Legislative Instrument (LI) 2462, calling for its complete repeal.
Speaking on ABC Midday News on Wednesday, she condemned the ongoing devastation caused by illegal mining, or galamsey, and urged the government to take urgent action. “Amending LI 2462 does not help. It is a terrible legislation that needs to be repealed,” she stated firmly.
Serwah’s comments come in the wake of a tragic incident at Mpasatia Yaw Nkwantah in the Atwima Mponua District, where an illegal mining pit collapsed on Tuesday, killing two individuals and trapping several others.
The disaster, the second at the same site, highlights the persistent dangers of unregulated mining. Beyond the loss of lives, Serwah warned that illegal mining is poisoning essential resources.
“Our lives are far more important than any gold deposit,” she said, emphasizing that contaminated water and food supplies pose an existential threat to Ghanaians.
“We need to deal with them now. The President needs to do what he promised and even more—before we all perish.”
The call for decisive action against galamsey has intensified following a series of crackdowns by security forces, including the recent arrest of eleven individuals in the Western Region, among them four Chinese nationals.
However, concerns remain about interference in anti-galamsey operations, as seen in the Tano Anwia Forest Reserve, where security personnel were abruptly ordered to withdraw.
While the government has pledged to eliminate illegal mining within a year, activists like Serwah insist that immediate, firm action—such as repealing weak regulations and enforcing stricter mining controls—is the only way to protect Ghana’s environment and people.
