'Mr President, let this be your legacy term' – Prof Aning urges bold action on galamsey

Security analyst Professor Kwasi Aning has made an emotional appeal to President John Mahama. He urged the President to fulfill his promise to combat illegal mining, known as galamsey. This is crucial for reclaiming the environment before he leaves office.

On Joy News’ PM Express, Prof. Aning called the situation a national disgrace. He urged the President to show political will and confront this crisis directly.

His comments came after Interior Minister Alhaji Muntaka Mubarak ordered police commanders in mining areas to be transferred. The minister aims to address the inaction of officers who have failed to tackle illegal mining for years.

Additionally, foreign nationals caught in galamsey will be arrested and deported without prosecution. However, Prof. Aning criticized this move as a populist gesture lacking proper planning.

He believes it fails to address the deeper issues that allow galamsey to thrive. “I have absolutely no sympathy,” he stated, expressing frustration at being treated like a second-class citizen in Ghana.

In his direct appeal to the President, he said, “Mr. President, this is your legacy term.” He urged Mahama to make it count and take decisive action against illegal mining.

Prof. Aning warned that failure to act would embolden both local and international criminal networks. He cautioned that such policies could attract even worse criminals who know Ghana lacks prosecution capacity.

He described the Interior Ministry's approach as short-sighted and potentially disastrous. “This is not a time for cosmetic gestures,” he insisted, urging the President to rescind this policy before further damage occurs.

The security expert expressed outrage over what he sees as double standards in law enforcement in Ghana. “We cannot have a two-tier law or implementation process,” he stated firmly.

He criticized how this issue has been presented as shameful and poorly thought out by the government. While acknowledging some benefits of reassessing police performance in mining zones, Prof. Aning emphasized that measures must be data-driven and well-resourced.

“We need performance indicators for police officers,” he said, stressing they also require adequate resources for effective results within three months.

Returning to Mahama’s own words from his State of the Nation Address, Prof. Aning reminded him of his pledge to protect Ghana’s environment.

“Let this be your legacy term by reclaiming the environment,” he concluded passionately.

His call adds pressure on government leaders regarding galamsey—a crisis seen not just as environmental but also a national security emergency affecting governance integrity in Ghana.