Give MMDCEs KPIs to fight galamsey – Inusah Fuseini to Mahama

Former Tamale Central MP and former Lands and Natural Resources Minister Inusah Fuseini has called on President John Dramani Mahama to introduce Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs) to intensify the fight against illegal mining.

His remarks come amid growing alarm over environmental degradation, following a Forestry Commission report indicating that more than 9,000 hectares of forest have been destroyed by illegal mining activities across the country.

Appearing on The Big Issue on Channel One TV, Fuseini said while the current administration is making efforts to address the galamsey crisis, stronger accountability structures at the district level would help accelerate progress.

“John Dramani Mahama, we love you, we think you are doing well, but give your DCEs key performance indicators (KPIs). Open direct communication to you with galamsey,” he stated.

According to the former minister, district-level leadership must be made directly responsible for combating illegal mining in their respective jurisdictions.

He also proposed the creation of a direct reporting mechanism to senior government officials, allowing citizens to provide credible information about illegal mining activities.

“Edudzi, Sammy Gyamfi, you are doing well, but open direct communication to you just like you are doing for the people who are buying the gold, so that they will report to you those doing the illegal mining and destroying the environment,” Fuseini said.

“If you open a direct channel to a higher office like Sammi Gyamfi or the President’s office and the information gets there, you will be compelled to act,” he added.

The Forestry Commission report has raised serious concerns about the scale of environmental destruction in forest reserves, with thousands of hectares of vegetation reportedly lost to illegal mining operations.

Meanwhile, President of IMANI Africa, Franklin Cudjoe, also urged the government to take swift and decisive action against illegal mining, warning that policy pronouncements alone will not end the problem.

Cudjoe said the scale of deforestation highlighted in the Forestry Commission report underscores the urgent need for stronger enforcement measures.

He acknowledged that the work of the National Inter-Ministerial Committee on Small-Scale Mining (NAIMOS) has produced some results but insisted that the fight against galamsey would remain incomplete if the powerful financiers and organisers behind the activity are not targeted.

According to him, addressing the crisis requires more than action at the grassroots level.

“It appears that the goodwill of this government seems to be peppering all over some of these evils that are still continuing, and until we hear from the likes of the President who says that galamsey is still going on, we need people,” he said.

Cudjoe further urged the President to move beyond rhetoric and demonstrate decisive leadership in tackling the issue.

“Mr. President, enough of the talk, the honeymoon is over, get to work. Get the galamseyers, let’s deal with them and let’s find some refined water,” he said.