Dennis Miracles Aboagye, Director of Communications for the Bawumia campaign, has accused the National Democratic Congress (NDC) of undermining the government’s efforts to combat illegal small-scale mining, known locally as galamsey.
Aboagye claims the NDC facilitates the ongoing crisis by using it as a political tool and actively encouraging illegal mining activities.
In a statement posted on Facebook, Aboagye criticized the NDC for exacerbating the galamsey issue.
“It has become clear that the NDC is a critical enabler of the galamsey menace in Ghana.
They complicate the country’s efforts to eradicate this issue by continuing to visit galamsey sites and urging participants to persist in these criminal activities,” Aboagye said.
He further alleged that the NDC’s public criticism of the government’s inability to address the galamsey problem is insincere.
“The sad part is that while they accuse our government of failing to tackle this issue, they simultaneously encourage the continuation of illegal mining. This hypocrisy is exacerbating Ghana’s problems,” he added.
Aboagye urged voters to reject the NDC, calling them “dishonest and insincere” and suggesting they lack a viable plan to address the galamsey crisis. In contrast, he praised Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, the campaign’s flagbearer, for proposing a comprehensive strategy to tackle the issue.
Bawumia’s plan includes establishing a Minerals Development Bank to provide financing, a decentralized licensing regime for easier access to mining concessions, and initiatives to enhance safe mining practices. Additionally, Bawumia aims to support local miners by purchasing mined gold to bolster national reserves and boost the currency through a Gold-Backed Cedi program.
Aboagye’s remarks come amid a heated debate in Parliament over the galamsey crisis. On September 3, 2024, the issue sparked a contentious exchange between the Majority and Minority Members of Parliament.
The Majority Chief Whip, Frank Annoh Dompreh, accused the previous National Democratic Government of causing more environmental damage than the current New Patriotic Party (NPP) administration.
“If we investigate both sides of the House, I can tell you that the NDC polluted the water more than us,” Dompreh said.
In response, Minority Leader Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson acknowledged that despite deploying security personnel to combat galamsey, the practice continues unabated.
Other MPs expressed concern over water shortages in various regions, with MP for Bodi and Samson Ahi warning of severe water scarcity affecting areas like Kumasi, the Western Region, and Accra.
“If care is not taken, we may not have water to bathe before coming to Parliament tomorrow,” Ahi cautioned.
