Prof. Ransford Gyampo, the President of the University of Ghana chapter of the University Teachers Association of Ghana (UG-UTAG), has voiced strong distrust in the government’s efforts to combat illegal mining, known as galamsey He criticized the government for failing to take any meaningful action despite ongoing discussions on the issue.
In an interview following UTAG’s declaration of an indefinite strike set to begin on October 10, 2024, Prof. Gyampo emphasized that the government’s lack of follow-through on its promises, including previous military deployments to mining areas, has resulted in a loss of trust. He stated, “The point has been the lack of trust… they are more focused on the upcoming elections.” According to him, the government is more concerned with the elections than addressing critical issues like galamsey.
The decision to strike, which was overwhelmingly supported by UTAG members, stems from their frustration with the government’s perceived inaction on the illegal mining problem. Prof. Gyampo argued that a temporary ban on galamsey could have prevented the strike, but he also criticized the leadership of organized labour for cancelling a planned nationwide strike without adequately consulting its members.
He highlighted that in meetings with the government, UTAG had warned that action would be taken if no progress was made by the end of September. However, the government has continued to focus on discussions rather than implementing concrete solutions. Prof. Gyampo added, “Simply saying things behind the scenes and participating in a roundtable discussion to list interventions does not make me trust them. Politicians know what needs to be done, but they won’t do it unless we threaten to go on strike.”
He made it clear that UTAG’s strike would continue until the government shows a genuine commitment to tackling the galamsey issue.
story by : Mercy Addai Turkson
