Energy expert, Kwadwo Nsafoah Poku, says the government needs allies that are honest about their intention to fight against illegal mining activities, popularly known as galamsey in the country.
He believes hypocrisy and double standards will only hinder progress, noting that effective solutions require a unified front.
Speaking on Accra-based TV3, Mr. Nsafoah Poku acknowledged the complexities of galamsey, including its economic incentives and political dimensions.
He slammed the National Democratic Congress (NDC) for its hypocritical stance on galamsey, accusing the party of speaking out of both sides of its mouth.
He said while NDC leaders publicly condemned illegal mining on national television, their parliamentary candidates in mining areas secretly promised to loosen restrictions to win votes.
According to him, this double-talk undermines efforts to combat the devastating environmental and economic impacts of galamsey in the country.
“He who comes to equity must come with clean hands,” Mr. Poku stressed. “If we truly want to fight galamsey, we need partners who are honest about their intentions. You can’t fight galamsey in Accra and then support it in the constituencies.”
He asserted that President Akufo-Addo’s 2017 ban on galamsey proved to be a significant factor in the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) loss of several seats in mining constituencies.
He said this move, although aimed at curbing environmental degradation and illegal mining activities, likely alienated some of the party’s traditional supporters who relied on galamsey for their livelihood.
According to Mr. Poku, the NDC parliamentary candidates’ promise to permit galamsey operations in key constituencies, including Evalue-Ajomoro-Gwira, Upper West Denkyira, Amenfi Central, and Prestea Huni Valley, ultimately led to the NPP’s loss of those seats in the 2020 elections.
He stated that the opposition NDC’s stance on illegal mining effectively sabotaged the government’s efforts to combat galamsey, ultimately swinging voter sentiment against the NPP by leveraging the contentious mining issue.
As a member of the ruling party, Mr. Poku lamented the NPP’s shocking loss in traditional mining strongholds, particularly in Upper West Denkyira, which had consistently voted NPP until the NDC made history by winning the constituency in 2020.
Galamsey has become a pervasive issue, which has plagued the country’s natural resources and water bodies.
Mr. Poku indicated that his call for honest allies echoes the frustration of the government, which feels that some individuals and organisations are paying lip service to the fight against galamsey while secretly perpetuating the problem.
Mr. Poku noted that Operation Vanguard, a joint military-police task force established by the government to combat galamsey, encountered resistance in affected communities, which intensified resentment towards the NPP.
By Ernest Kofi Adu