President of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) chapter of the University Teachers Association of Ghana (UTAG), Professor Eric Abavare, has expressed his disappointment in Speaker of Parliament Alban Bagbin for his lack of action in addressing the issue of illegal mining, commonly referred to as galamsey.

Professor Abavare pointed out that while Bagbin was heavily involved in advocating for legislation against LGBTQI+ issues, even promising to ensure the law's passage before the 8th Parliament concludes, he has remained noticeably silent on the issue of illegal mining, which poses a much greater threat to the country.

The lecturer emphasised that the Speaker's inaction on the galamsey crisis is concerning and called for him to demonstrate leadership on this critical issue. He also criticised Bagbin for focusing so much energy on LGBTQI+ matters, which, according to Abavare, are far less harmful to the nation than the ongoing illegal mining activities.

"The Speaker of Parliament is on my radar because he is culpable. He is culpable not because he is involved in galamsey but because he has failed to speak against it. I will not change this position. We all saw the commitment and dedication he had towards the LGBTQI+ issue. When the law was formulated, he promised to see it passed.

"He was deeply involved in the LGBTQI+ matters and pledged that as long as he remained Speaker, he would not entertain such activities.

"But where is he now that we are talking about galamsey? Galamsey is far more dangerous and a greater threat to the nation compared to LGBTQI. With LGBTQI+, two people are in a room engaging in a private act, but galamsey threatens our livelihoods, destroys our water bodies, and ravages our forests. We’ve even gone as far as passing a new law, L.I. (2462), allowing mining in our forest reserves. Did the Speaker not see this law in Parliament?"

Speaking in an interview on Frontline 87.5 FM, he continued, "If we are blaming President Akufo-Addo for failing to address the galamsey issue, then we cannot exclude the Speaker from this mess. He is culpable, and I will not blame him alone. The Chief Justice should also bear some responsibility for what is happening."

Meanwhile, he has called on the Speaker to resign if he is unfit for the role, stressing that Alban Bagbin has failed as a leader in the fight against galamsey