Minister-designate for Environment, Science and Technology, Zanetor Agyeman-Rawlings, has called for stronger coordination among government ministries and agencies to tackle illegal mining, popularly known as galamsey, and its devastating impact on the environment and human life.
Appearing before Parliament’s Appointments Committee on Thursday, August 27, she described the fight against illegal mining as an “all-of-government and all-of-society imperative.”
According to her, the problem requires all relevant Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to work together rather than operate in isolation.
She noted that illegal mining largely occurs within the local governance system, making collaboration with decentralised institutions, including the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), particularly important.
Zanetor said that, if approved by Parliament, one of her first priorities would be to meet with ministers whose portfolios are directly connected to the fight against illegal mining.
She specifically mentioned the Lands and Natural Resources and Local Government sectors, saying such engagements would help ensure that government agencies are working towards a common goal and prevent what she described as a “silo effect.”
“The fight against illegal mining and the subsequent damage it does to the environment and human life are an all-of-government and all-of-society imperative,” she said.
She also called for regular reporting on government interventions, arguing that this would improve transparency and allow authorities to assess whether measures being implemented are producing the desired results.
Zanetor further said she would work closely with the EPA to obtain a clear briefing on the current situation, ongoing interventions and areas requiring greater attention.
She believes a coordinated approach involving central government, local authorities and relevant agencies will be essential to making meaningful progress in the fight against galamsey.
