AS a graduate of Tarkwa School of Mines, although I offered Mechanical Engineering course as part of the curriculum students were introduced into basic mining engineering. So I have little knowledge to share about genesis of Galamasey menace .
- Galamasey started at Prestea Western region in 1894. When the locals discovered that one can use mercury to extract gold from the sand residue left by the miners. They called it gather-them – and – sell (Galamasey).
- When the Mining company tried to stop it the local leaders used poverty and unemployment among the youth to defend the illegal mining practice.
- The practice spread to Dunkwa, Diaso, Bibiani, and Agogo Mining Companies.
- During Ghana’s fight for independence Galamasey which was limited to mining sites was justified by our freedom fighters for independence as a way for the locals to get their portion of the gold. Kwame Nkrumah used the phrase where the colonial masters have written “stay off there is danger , there is gold.”
- After independence the Galamaseyers were emboldened and started entering into mines pit at night. State mining companies started using their security staffs to fight them off. The excuse was poverty and unemployment among the youth are major cause. The mining companies under the leadership of Mr Bentum Williams offered quotas employment to indigenes but still Galamasey went on unabated.
- At point Mining companies gave part of their concessions to these illegal miners but still that could not stop Galamasey.
- During 1979 revolution JJ Rawlings started fighting Galamasey who had taken over Mining companies site, in Tarkwa about 19 illegal miners were killed and their bodies dumped into unused Mining pits. Galamasey went underground for sometime. Only to surface in 80s with sophistication and the practice extended to water bodies.
- Some miners who were affected PNDC structural adjustment program brought their expertise to Galamasey operators. Some business men got on board to sponsoring some youth including returnees from Nigeria.
- From 1992- 2012, some constituencies executives from both NPP and NDC got in involved using Galamasey as form of employment for their supporters in Mining areas that was when the practice was boldly extended on rivers and restricted forests.
- Apart from water bodies pollution on water bodies, land degradation , soil erosion, environmental degradation and poisoning of the soil which would take 15 years or more to reclaim; drug abuse, addiction, occultism and armed bandits are on the rise at such area.
- I will advocate strong education for community to understand the consequences of illegal mining , effect of chemicals like mercury and cyanide on the soil, water bodies and animals and human health back by strong legislation. We should also include basic mining engineering and technology in JHS & SHS curriculum to inculcate
By Bishop Matthew Addae-Mensah contact faithjudah @gmail.com