Galamsey is worse than armed robbery - Hon. Gabriel Osie

Birim river destroyed by galamsey activities

The Member of Parliament for Tain constituency in the Brong Ahafo region Gabriel Osie has said illegal small-scale gold mining in Ghana popularly known as galamsey, is worse than armed robbery.

Expressing his views on this disturbing menace, the legislator said, unlike armed robbery where the target is on an individual or group of people, galamsey destroys the land, living species, people, water, food, neighboring countries source of water and also poses great health implications.

Gabriel Osei who is currently in London on a private visit lamented during a political radio discussion with Kofi Marfo (Sir Richie ) on a London based Ghanaian radio station, Hot radio yesterday.

He said the devastating nature of galamsay in the Brong-Ahafo region alone includes deforestation, water contamination and loss of lives.

The MP added that the future of our youth in Ghana is in jeopardy since the most brilliant and intelligent students or pupils have sacrificed everything in search of gold with no interest in education, which eventually will harm the future of Ghana.

He said Brong Ahafo which was once known to be renowned for its large cocoa production and agriculture business industries has been overshadowed as a result of galamsey.

Even though he failed to educate the people of any contingency plan put in place by the NPP administration as an alternative to pacify the illegal miners and also substitute their means of livelihood, the legislator said strenuous effort is made by Nana Addo led administration to ameliorate the country's ailing economy to ensure sanity in Ghana. He said NPP government will enforce every stringent law governing the natural resources of Ghana.

Honourable Gabriel Osei added that the NPP government will relentlessly deter all irresponsible and selfish individuals whose priority is to exhume the country's natural resources at all cost without considering the repercussion involved.

Honourable Gabriel Osei who is also a member of the Government Assurance Committee and also Environment, Science, and Technology Committee comprehensively won the majority votes in the 2016 parliamentary election in the Tain constituency.