[ad_1]
The standard-bearer for the National Democratic Congress (NDC) says that President Akufo-Addo has completely failed in the fight against one of the country’s biggest problems in the mining sector.
Former President John Mahama said that the president before taking office had expressed so much zeal for ending illegal mining, also known as ‘galamsey’, yet after gaining power, little has been done about it.
“The president once said that he was willing to risk his presidency to fight canker, but now it is clear that he has failed in the fight,” he said.
Mr. Mahama spoke at the NDC town hall meeting in the Ashanti region.
Accused President Akufo-Addo of seizing mining equipment [including excavators] of illegal miners under the guise of fighting Galamsey.
According to him, the president’s main objective for the action is to hand them over to the NPP stalwarts to continue illegal mining in the country, which is unfair.
“The president has seized the concession from some miners saying that he is going to do community mining with them, but the concessions have ended up in the hands of members of his party who are making galamsey.
“He is [trying to tell us that] members of his party can participate in the illegal act, but other Ghanaians cannot, ”he said.
President Akufo-Addo, before taking office in 2017, promised to end galamsey in the country.
Introduced Operation Vanguard [a taskforce set up by government to combat galamsey in the country], as well as the Community Mining Program that aims to guarantee safe and responsible mining in the country.
These were part of the measures to combat illegal mining in the country.
In his 2020 State of the Nation address to Parliament, the president praised his government for achievements in the fight, although he admitted that there are still some challenges that need to be addressed.
However, Mahama said that the PNP government under the leadership of Nana Akufo-Addo has had an abysmal performance.
He assured the miners that his next government will establish a Gold Development Board that will be responsible for safe mining in the country.
In addition, he assured the miners whose equipment was seized to secure them and deliver them to their respective owners.
