Franklin Cudjoe, founder and President of IMANI Africa, has strongly criticized President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo’s approach to combating illegal mining, locally known as galamsey.
The government recently deployed over 100 armed military personnel to various water bodies to combat galamsey, but Cudjoe described this move as a mere “game of tricks, smokes and mirrors.”
He questioned the effectiveness of such operations, citing the millions of Ghana Cedis spent previously with little to no positive results.
Cudjoe emphasized that any serious effort to address galamsey would not involve sending military personnel to simply “do what they are doing there.”
He criticized the government’s call for collective efforts in the galamsey fight, wondering what exactly the public is being asked to do.
Cudjoe noted that approximately 70% of Ghana’s rivers are polluted, yet the government’s actions seem inadequate.
He expressed frustration that the government is seeking public support for its efforts, despite having promised to prioritize galamsey eradication during election campaigns.
Cudjoe specifically referenced President Akufo-Addo’s recent meeting with the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA), where he failed to provide concrete plans for addressing galamsey.
Cudjoe concluded that if the President truly intended to tackle galamsey, he would have presented a clear strategy, rather than simply reading from a speech and leaving.
