- NDC accused of politicizing galamsey
- NPP government efforts undermined by NDC criticism
- NDC's galamsey record under scrutiny
- Government committed to galamsey solution
Kwabena Agyepong, a senior campaign advisor to Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, has accused the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) of using the galamsey issue as a political tool to divert attention from their lack of a campaign message ahead of the December 7 polls. Agyepong believes the NDC is deliberately amplifying the illegal mining problem to create public disaffection for the government.
According to Agyepong, the NDC’s criticism is a diversion tactic to shift focus from its own failures on the issue during its time in office. He acknowledged that galamsey is a serious challenge but argued that the NPP government has made significant efforts to address it through various initiatives.
The former General Secretary of the NPP questioned the timing of the NDC’s renewed focus on galamsey, asking what has changed 60 days to elections. He emphasized that genuine concerns would not involve creating or orchestrating chaos in the country.
Agyepong suggested that the NDC’s flagbearer, John Dramani Mahama, has not presented any concrete policies to tackle the issue. In contrast, Dr. Bawumia’s stance includes clear plans for addressing galamsey.
Organised Labour has been pressuring the government to take stronger action against illegal mining, calling for a state of emergency and threatening a nationwide strike on October 10, 2024.
The government has announced plans to revoke the Environmental Protection (Mining in Forest Reserves) Regulations, 2023, to bolster the legal framework regulating mining activities in protected areas.
Additionally, the government reiterated its commitment to declaring water bodies and forest reserves as “Red Zones” for mining, with stricter enforcement measures planned.
Agyepong maintained that the NPP government remains committed to tackling galamsey despite the opposition’s attempts to politicize the issue.
The NDC’s strategy has raised concerns about the politicization of critical national issues. The debate surrounding galamsey highlights the complexity of addressing environmental and economic challenges in Ghana.
