Ghana’s President Calls for Strike Suspension Over Illegal Mining Activities

Ghana’s President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, has urged the Organised Labour to halt the planned “strike action” over illegal ‘galamsey’ mining poisoning water bodies and forest reserves in the country.

Eugene Arhin, Director of Communications to the Office of the President, disclosed this on Wednesday in response to the press statement issued on October 7, 2024, by the Organised Labour informing the government, stakeholders, and the general public of a planned strike scheduled for Thursday, October 10, 2024.

To address the strike action and demands, President Akufo-Addo held a meeting on Tuesday, October 8, 2024, at the Ministry of Employment and Labour Relations, inviting the leadership of the Organised Labour.

Following the meeting, as highlighted in a press release, the President noted that it had devised four measures to curb the illegal mining concerns raised by the Organised Labour.

These include the ‘deployment of additional military personnel to carry out “Operation Halt”, suspension of mining in forest reserves, strengthened prosecution of illegal mining cases, and call for a national pact on illegal mining as measures to curb illegal mining activities.

Similarly, on September 13, 2024, President Akufo-Addo, through the Ministry of Information, set up a five-member ad-hoc ministerial committee to engage stakeholders to assess the government’s efforts in curbing illegal mining in the country.

Meanwhile, the latter and former move to curb illegal mining has only been an administrative approach yet to materialise into decisive actions. Many Ghanaians have taken to social media, calling out the president to act with the power of the Presidency.

“You’re the president. Use your power. We don’t need any political pact,” Fadda @laudfadda wrote on X.

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Mayowa Durosinmi

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M. Durosinmi is a West Africa Weekly investigative reporter covering Politics, Human Rights, Health, and Security in West Africa and the Sahel Region

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