Akufo-Addo’s galamsey fight is a complete scam – NDC

In spite of the myriad of goodwill enjoyed by the government in fighting the “galamsey” menace, the Akufo-Addo administration has been shambolic in the fight, according to Sammy Gyamfi, Communications Officer of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC).

The NDC released the damning verdict on the Akufo-Addo government at a press conference in Accra on Thursday.

Citing the missing 500 excavators, Anas Aremyaw Anas’ documentary on the complicity of government appointees, Ellembele DCE who was accused by NPP executives of demanding money from galamsey operators, Prof. Frimpong Boateng, Charles Bisiw, Andy Owusu an assistant to Bernard Antwi Boasiako who is said to have played a role in the “Party Hia Sika video” among others, Sammy Gyamfi lashed out at President Akufo-Addo for lacking the commitment to fight the menace.

The NDC is, therefore, asking President Akufo-Addo to prosecute all NPP functionaries who are complicit in the act.

According to him, President Akufo-Addo has been entrusted with the mandate to fight the canker and cannot shift the blame or share the blame for his failure to halt illegal mining.

Akufo-Addo’s new vow against galamsey

Meanwhile, President of Ghana, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo has urged the National House of Chiefs and MMDCEs to take partisan political interests out of the fight against illegal mining (galamsey).

He noted that although the Government tried a lot of initiatives to fight the galamsey menace, the fight has not been successful.

However, he was of the belief it will take a collective responsibility on the part of all stakeholders for the fight against the menace to succeed.

President Akufo Addo made the comments today, October 5, 2022, at a meeting with the National House of Chiefs and the MMDCEs on the Galamsey menace in Kumasi.

He said there will be a closed door meeting with the local government and the MMDCE’s to discuss the issues with them and seek their active indulgence in the fight, but before then, he gave them the advice.

“It can only succeed if it is a truly national battle which no one seeks to exploit for political gain as we saw in the last election. The progress of our country depends on all of us, all citizens of Ghana, all fellow Ghanaians, pulling together to defeat this existential threat to our future,” he said.

“I have said it before, we are not against mining, but we cannot accept mining in a manner that risks, destroying our country,” he added.

President Akufo Addo, therefore, called on all stakeholders to join hands with him in the fight against illegal mining in order to bring an end to the devastation of our landscape and the pollution of the water bodies in the country.

“I ask all of you to join hands with me in the fight against illegal mining in order to bring an end to the devastation of our landscape and the pollution of our water bodies. We have to win that fight, to keep our environment clean and protect our heritage for our descendants, as you did so well in the past,” he added.