THE PEOPLE’S MANIFESTO

Read Time: 4 minutes

We have witnessed the presentation of two manifestos and the Great Transformation Plan that would be enough for multiple elections in many other countries. Many presidential elections elsewhere are won with a few bold ideas. To be honest, given where Ghana is, only one item should matter. No, it is not education– you can’t educate our teenagers with free SHS while watching our expectant mothers and young children drink mercury. You can’t revamp our economy– over 24-hours or 365 days while our forest reserves are being killed in one decade. The only item any politician should be allowed to talk about is Galamsey.

It is an existential threat to Ghana. Prof. Yorke warned us about Galamsey this weekend. Speaker Bagbin warned MP Galamseyers to cease and desist in Parliament. But long before then, our neighbour, Ivory Coast warned us in 2017. Prof. Frimpong Boateng warned us in his bold report that was dismissed by Galamsey Incorporated as half truths. And Erasmus Asare Donkor and Joyfm warned us with some powerful documentaries that should stand as eternal testaments to bold a patriotic reportage and journalism. No, we didn’t need Prof. Yorke’s tepid warning.

China produces more Gold than any other nation on earth but keeps its forests intact and its rivers clean while its citizens destroy our environment with the active connivance of our government and power brokers. The US is one of the top 5 producers of gold in the world and it has clean water and a safe environment. Our government has become an arm of Galamsey incorporated. Looting our public coffers matters more that our rivers, forests, pregnant mothers and posterity to our government. Our constitution obligates the state to protect our environment in article 36(9) but it doesn’t matter.

The President who pledged to put his Presidency on the line to fight Galamsey has used his Presidency to serve and grow Galamsey without shame. The police knows the Galamseyers are breaking laws daily but they harass petty thieves and protect Galamseyers.

The military that could punish the people Ashiaman for molesting a few of its members would protect Galamseyers rather than our environment and forests. And that is a shame. And Galamsey incorporated with their accomplices in the law and judiciary will deal with whoever stands up for the environment and the laws– as they did to Prof. Frimpong Boateng. The question to those selling out Ghana is this: What koraa are you doing with money that you are destroying your country for? The politicians have sworn a loyalty oath to Galamsey.

As Speaker Bagbin stated candidly, they need Galamsey money for their campaigns and they will never risk the flow of that money by taking on Galamsey. They will rather be part of the raping and pillaging of mother Ghana. Most politicians will happily prefer to be in office in a polluted Ghana rather be in opposition in a Ghana with clean water and intact forests. We must save this country in spite of politics. Speaker Bagbin, move beyond entreaties.

Name and shame the MP Galamseyers and refer them to law enforcement for prosecution. Otumfuor Osei Tutu, thanks for destooling some of your Galamsey chiefs. But respectfully, you can do more. Are Wontumi and many Galamseyers not your subjects? Deal with them, Nana. Deal with them. This will be bigger than Dagbon or peace for one election. Inspire other traditional rulers like the Okyenhene to call their Galamsey brethren and subjects to order.

Where are the religious leaders? We should hear sermons about this existential threat every week. Without a vision, the people will perish. Let those who mistakenly lent their names to the fraudulent National Cathedral boldly stand for our national forests. And where are the youth? You are getting free SHS from the very government killing our forests and polluting our waters and you are content? Listen to “Yen Ara Asase Ni” and be inspired to be patriots.

This is the country of the Aborigines Rights Protection Society that protected our lands, Professional Bodies and PMFJ forcing Archeampong to democracy, the AFRC letting the blood flow for Kalabule, Kugblenu, Tommy Thompson and other journalists sacrificing to preserve free speech and our students in the 80’s marching to bring democracy in the face of JJ’s guns. Let us not look on with indifference while they destroy our forests and rivers while looting our minerals.

This fight matters more than our so called democracy! God bless you as we fight to preserve a Ghana with clean water and forests we can leave to posterity. Arthur Kobina Kennedy (September 8th, 2024)