The Member of Parliament for the Zebilla Constituency, Mr. Ebenezer Alumire Ndebilla, has issued a stark warning about the escalating rate of illegal mining, locally known as galamsey, which he says is dangerously drawing young people away from education in pursuit of “quick money.”
In an interview on A1 Radio, the legislator expressed deep concern that these illicit activities have become a major distraction, fueling a surge in school dropouts, particularly at the basic education level.
He lamented that the visible, immediate wealth flaunted by some individuals involved in illegal mining is creating a distorted perception of success among the youth.
“If you look at it carefully, most of the communities where mining activities are taking place, sometimes the young ones seem not to see the need to go to school. Because after all, my senior brother who is not in school is making it. He has been able to put up a house. Meanwhile, a teacher or a nurse who has worked for many years does not even own a block house,” Mr. Ndebilla explained, highlighting the corrosive impact of this comparative wealth.
This distorted economic reality, he argued, is directly contributing to worrying educational outcomes. “So you see most of them after primary, or even before completing basic school, drop out and begin mining or other ventures they believe can earn them quick money,” he said.
Turning to the state of education infrastructure, the MP acknowledged that despite efforts by successive governments, facilities in the growing constituency remain critically inadequate. He pointed to numerous abandoned and unfinished projects that continue to deny schoolchildren access to decent classrooms and conducive learning environments.
“Certainly, there are projects that have been put up, but it’s not enough… There are several abandoned projects that have been left unattended to,” he noted.
However, Mr. Ndebilla outlined efforts underway to address the infrastructure deficit. He welcomed the government’s recent directive to allocate 20 percent of the District Assemblies Common Fund to complete abandoned projects, describing it as a timely intervention.
He further disclosed that through personal lobbying with the Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFund), he has secured four key projects for the constituency. These include two six-unit classroom blocks, a six-unit teachers’ quarters, and a home economics block for a secondary school. The District Assembly has also advertised eight new projects expected to begin soon.
Assuring his constituents, the Zebilla lawmaker pledged his unwavering commitment to tackling both illegal mining and infrastructure challenges, emphasizing that securing the future of the youth through quality education remains his paramount objective.
Source: A1Radioonline.com|101.1 MHz|Moses Apiah|Bolgatanga
