Alan Kyerematen's Movement for Change Tables 10-Point Plan to Combat Galamsey
- Alan Kyerematen’s Movement for Change has tabled a 10-point action plan against illegal mining
- The plan follows a helicopter crash that killed eight key figures, including ministers and politicians
- The party has described galamsey as an existential threat to Ghana’s environment and its future
Alan Kyerematen's Movement for Change has proposed a 10-point action plan to tackle the growing menace of illegal small-scale mining, popularly known as galamsey, in Ghana.
This move comes after a tragic helicopter crash on August 6, 2025, that claimed the lives of eight individuals, including government officials, party leaders, and military officials.
Source: Facebook
In a statement released by the Director of Communications and Spokesperson, Solomon Owusu, the Movement for Change described galamsey as an 'existential threat' to Ghana's future, citing its devastating impact on the environment, water bodies, and communities.
They emphasised the need for bold action to protect the country's natural resources and ensure sustainable development.
Below are the key proposals tabled by the Movement for Change.
- By an Executive Instrument, ban all artisanal and small-scale mining activities, whether legal or illegal, with immediate effect, for a substantive period of one year
- Parliament should suspend, under a Certificate of Urgency, the application of Legislative Instrument (LI) 2462 to stop permits that allow mining in forest reserves in Ghana
- Revoke all small-scale and community mining licenses issued by the Minerals Commission within the last 15 years, followed by a comprehensive and complete audit of all small-scale and community mining licenses issued within the said period - a task force made up of representatives of the Goldbod, Environmental Protection Agency, Water Resources Commission and Minerals Commission, with appropriate technical support, shall oversee this audit
- Issue new mining licences after the audit exercise, with the consent of traditional authorities in the relevant areas
- Demobilise all machinery, equipment, including earth moving equipment, and any other form of machinery currently in use on all existing small-scale and community mining land sites - this equipment will be inventorised, stored and preserved by the 48 Engineer’s Regiment of the Ghana Armed Forces.
- Establish and fund a comprehensive programme for the restoration and regeneration of all degraded land sites within the one-year period of the ban of small-scale mining activities - young men and women currently engaged in small-scale mining activities will be deployed under the said programme, led and supervised by the Forestry Commission with technical oversight by the Forestry Research Institute of CSIR
- Establish a programme to be jointly managed by the Water Resources Commission and Environmental Protection Agency, with technical support from the Water Research Institute of CSIR, for a complete restoration of all river bodies within the period of one year while the ban is in force
- Introduce new legislation and regulations in Parliament that will impose a complete ban on mining in river bodies and forest reserves, even when the ban on small-scale mining is lifted - the sanctions regime associated with this new legislation, will include life imprisonment for violation of the provisions of the said legislation.
- Establish a new Youth in Responsible Mining Initiative, under which groups of young people previously engaged in Galamsey, will be supported by the Government to establish and own mining companies as private legal commercial entities (not cooperatives), with these youth-owned mining companies prividing mining licensing rights and other permits, as well as machinery and equipment for mining activities under a Work-and-Pay basis, with Off-taker Agreements from Goldbod
- Establish a Citizens Mining Protection Rights Group in each mining community, who will act as the watchdogs for responsible mining.
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Source: Facebook
Kyerematen declares intentions to contest 2028 election
Earlier, YEN.com.gh reported John Alan Kyerematen confirmed he would contest the 2028 presidential elections under the Movement for Change.
He left the New Patriotic Party after claiming that Dr Mahamudu Bawuma had been favoured in the 2024 race for the party's flagbearer position.
Proofreading by Bruce Douglas, copy editor at YEN.com.gh.
Source: YEN.com.gh
