Media Coalition Set to Engage Citizens on
the ills Of Galamsey
As part of efforts to stimulate community
and institutional ownership of the sustained campaign against galamsey, The
Media Coalition Against Galamsey (MCAG) with support from Star Ghana continues
its community engagement with focus on the Western Region after returning from
Wa.
A news Editors Forum will be held on
Thursday 26th April, 2018 at the Grand Favor Hotel in Takoradi as a precursor
to the Town Hall Meeting slated for Friday 27th April, 2018 at Nsuaem Methodist
church, near Nsuaem Health Centre at 9am.
The Western Regional Minister, Dr. Kwaku
Afriyie, Divisional Chief of Nsuaem, Nana Adade ll, Western Regional Officials
of Operation Vanguard, Forestry Commission, EPA, Minerals Commission, Ghana
Water Company, National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) among others
stakeholders will grace this meeting.
MCAG believes galamsey is as a result of
system and leadership failure and so building capacity of stakeholders to stem
the tide is vital. The goal of these engagements is to create understanding and
make acceptance of the preservation of our environment and its resources a
collective good rather than the selfish economic motives presented by galamsey.
It also provides a forum for citizens in the areas where Galamsey is endemic to
engage duty bearers to get their questions answered and put their grievances
across.
According to the Convener of the Coalition,
Mr. Kenneth Ashigbey, “Though there has been some remarkable progress made in
the fight against Galamsey, with some battles won, the war is not over. There
are some significant battles ahead that needs to be won. We are still waiting
for the Multilateral Mining Integrated Project (MMIP), to be launched and
executed. We need to put in the right measures to get the small-scale miners
who are licensed and work according to the licenses to start mining
sustainably. We need to remind Ghanaians to stay as citizens and not spectators
and bear in mind that just the cleaning up the Ankobra River alone will cost
Ghana, over $400 million”
About MCAG
MCAG also known as the Coalition carries
out public education on the ills of illegal mining activities, advocacy with
stakeholders to ensure the eradication of galamsey and to promote sustainable
mining. Members of the Coalition includes all media institutions, associations
and partners such as the Ghana Independent Broadcasters Association (GIBA),
Graphic Communications Group Limited (GCGL), Penplusbytes, New Times Corporation
(NTC), Private Newspaper Publishers Association of Ghana (PRINPAG), Ghana
Journalists Association (GJA), Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC), Ghana News
Agency (GNA), Ghana Community Radio Network (GCRN), National Commission for
Civic Education (NCCE) and Occupy Ghana.
