Timber
Following the recent disturbing publication about illegal miners who launched an ambush on forestry commissioners, I am compelled to share my thoughts on the need for us, as a nation, to tread cautiously on the galamsey menace even as we continue to explore a strategic approach to curb the canker.
Evidently, the presence of natural resources in every country tends to compound the country’s problem of insecurity.
The Sierra Leone and Angola conflicts, for instance, were largely fuelled by the lucrative diamond trade, which played a role in financing and perpetuating the rebellion that devastated the region. Accordingly, illegal mining activities with their associated violence in Ghana should, therefore, be one of reasonable foreseeability.
Now, the primary question would be, what policy and practical interventions can we implement to prevent the galamsey issue from degenerating into a full-blown conflict? What strategies can we employ to address the galamsey situation, while preventing the radicalisation of young people involved?
Hitherto, it is important to state that in our collective efforts to combat galamsey, society has inadvertently perpetuated the marginalisation of those involved; we have reinforced damaging stereotypes, stigma and social exclusion, a situation which complicates the quest for sustainable solutions.
On the dangers of marginalisation, a scholar has noted, “the marginalisation, alienation and sometimes victimisation of whole communities can help justify and rationalise extremist beliefs.”
What this means is that when people are made to feel disconnected, isolated and without a sense of belonging, extremist ideologies can take root in them and spread. Individuals, groups or communities would begin to feel justified in adopting radical or violent beliefs and actions.
In my observation, systemic marginalisation of young people involved in galamsey is gradually cultivating an environment in which they are becoming increasingly radicalised, a development which could make them vulnerable and susceptible to extremist ideologies if not curtailed.
Timber Mind game
In the past, young people involved in galamsey used unemployment as a conduit to garner sympathy and legitimacy for their nefarious activities.
As captured in one of the 2021 headlines of The Business and Financial Times, “Employment opportunities would stop galamsey.”
However, when the illegal miners noticed that the bargaining tactics of citing unemployment failed to appeal to the conscience of the masses, they activated the evasion gear, engaging in a cat-and-mouse game with authorities to avoid apprehension and prosecution.
Although this strategy is in force, recruits have escalated to launching gorilla-attacks on law enforcement officers–indicating that they may have entered a heightened anger phase, characterised by aggressive confrontations and rebellion.
One may argue that this incident is isolated, for me, it exposes underlying psychological warfare that demand thorough scrutiny and appropriate response.
Timber How should we proceed?
Drawing on my extensive international work experience with the AU and UN missions, I have summarised what could be a comprehensive 5Es framework that could help tackle the complex issue of galamsey.
• Education: the role of education in mitigating the galamsey menace cannot be relegated to the footnotes.
Understandably, the political reality is that investment in awareness and sensitisation may not provide political actors with the quick dividends they need to show within a four-year political term.
The Ghanaian electorate tends to be more impressed by tangible physical infrastructure than investment in human capital and education.
However, it is high time we embraced continued education and sensitisation programmes as a short-to-medium-term recipe for dealing with this rot.
The clergy should begin to tailor their sermon around eco-theology — a kind of theology that examines the spiritual and moral dimensions of environmental issues.
•. Engagement: We need to shift towards a community-centered approach that actively involves the youth, who are key stakeholders in this issue.
We need to listen to their concerns and carefully evaluate their feedback to develop effective policies.
• Enforcement: The success of the galamsey fight heavily rests on the shoulders of regulatory bodies within the mining-value chain.
These bodies must come together and examine areas of collaboration.
They must enforce laws that regulate mining activities in Ghana.
• Empowerment: Local communities should be empowered to take part in decision-making related to mining
• Evidence-based policy-making: Finally, policies must be grounded in rigorous research and tailored to meet the specific requirements of different stakeholders and regions in Ghana.
The writer is a chief inspector with the Formed Police Unit Headquarters.
E-mail: Leadofori@gmail.com