FOR renowned Kumawood film producer, Paul Gee, one of the most effective approaches to combat illegal mining widely known as galamsey is through movies and music. He said all that the government needed was to give the creative industry GH?2b ($121,645,600) to do the job.

Although he couldn’t say how he arrived at the said amount, Paul Gee said it would adequately support the production of anti-galamsey films, documentaries, music, and other creative works that would highlight the environmental and social impacts of illegal mining. 

In addition to raising awareness of the menace and its attendant consequences, the approach will create jobs in the process to help bridge the unemployment gap in the country.

Paul Gee, real name Paul Adjei, told Graphic Showbiz on Monday, November 4, 2024, in an interview, that creative professionals had the solution to the menace, but they needed sufficient financial support to make a meaningful impact.

 “I’ve always said that creatives have the power to shape minds and inspire action. I, therefore, suggested that the government allocates GH?2 billion to us to produce anti-galamsey content, create jobs and educate affected communities.

“For instance, if you have an actress such as Nana Ama Mcbrown and a movie producer like myself, working on a documentary on galamsey, it will have greater impact,” he said.

 Last month, a three-day protest against galamsey was held where thousands of people, mostly youth groups marched and later held a vigil in Accra. 

The protesters urged President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to declare a blanket ban on galamsey activities, as well as all kinds of mining in forest reserves and water bodies.

Also, the Accra Diocese of the Catholic Church in Ghana held an Environmental Prayer Protest Walk in Accra on October 11.

But to Paul Gee, all the protests in Accra were needless when people who were engaged in the act and were blinded by the dangers, were outside the nation’s capital.

"This is not the first time creatives have been used to conscientise the populace. This creative approach can educate and empower those involved, encouraging them to abandon harmful practices.

“By leveraging Ghana's film industry, we can combat galamsey. Imagine the over 400 Ghanaian film producers using galamsey sites as movie locations, raising awareness about the devastating effects of illegal mining. This is not just about entertainment; it's about using our craft to drive social change.

In the 1970s, when Ghana converted to the metric system and switched to driving on the right, several TV shows, music and drama, among others, were used to create awareness and educate the public.

He described the deployment of military force to combat galamsey as a costly endeavour draining the state's resources. He criticised it as ‘unnecessary’ and ‘financially burdensome’.

“Previous measures have failed. This galamsey fight isn’t about the use of brute force. The truth is that most of these galamseyers are unemployed so if we stop them from doing galamsey, they will resort to armed robbery and other vices.

“So we need to create jobs for them and the question is: ‘How are we going to do that?’ This is why I’m proposing that the government support us financially. Let’s use musicians, actors and film producers to produce documentaries and songs highlighting Galamsey's devastating effects.

With over two decades in the creative arts industry, Paul Adjei has made his mark as a music and movie producer, working with top artistes such as Ernest Opoku, Ohene Ba E.K and Aseibu Amanfi. 

He has produced movies, including Ama Ghana, Okomfo Anokye and Mallam Issah, making him a significant figure in both Ghanaian music and film. 

Paul Gee has also served in leadership roles with the Film Producers Association of Ghana (FIPAG) and the Audio-Visual Rights Society of Ghana (ARSOG).

He said he was particularly excited that all these organisations, including the Ghana Music Rights Organisation (GHAMRO) and Musicians Union of Ghana (MUSIGA) support his call.