Kwaku Ampratwum-Sarpong
The New Patriotic Party (NPP) Members of Parliament have launched a blistering attack on the National Democratic Congress (NDC) government, accusing it of deep complicity and hypocrisy in the worsening illegal mining (galamsey) crisis, which they now describe as a full-blown national emergency.
In a statement released yesterday, the Ranking Member of the Lands and Natural Resources Committee, Kwaku Ampratwum-Sarpong, said the NDC government had failed woefully in tackling galamsey, despite making lofty campaign promises to end the menace once in office.
According to the Minority, barely six months into the NDC administration, illegal mining activities have not only escalated but are being actively shielded by elements within the ruling party.
“Ghana is bleeding from the effects of a clueless, hypocritical and deceptive government,” the statement said, lamenting that the very people who lambasted the Akufo-Addo administration over galamsey have now turned a blind eye to even greater environmental destruction.
The Minority alleged that some of the worst galamsey activities are taking place in President Mahama’s hometown of Bole-Bamboi, particularly in Tumtumba, where illegal miners have destroyed the Yonkamba stream, a tributary of the Black Volta.
“If the President cannot safeguard the natural resources of his own backyard, what hope is there for the rest of the country?” the statement queried.
Misusing Funds and Equipment
The statement noted that there had been disparity in government commitment, pointing out that the 2025 budget allocated GH¢50 million to fight illegal mining – five times more than the previous year’s GH¢10 million allocation under the NPP. Yet, there has been little evidence of tangible action.
The Minority further accused some Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs) of diverting equipment meant for development projects to support galamsey operations.
Citing the case of Suaman, the statement alleged that the local DCE is directly supervising the use of DRIP (District Road Improvement Project) machines for illegal mining. “This is not just a betrayal of the intended purpose of these resources—it is a disgraceful abuse of public trust,” it stressed.
The statement also referenced reports of seized excavators mysteriously disappearing, describing the situation as “a web of collusion” enabled by political cover-ups.
UTAG and TUC Join the Outcry
The Minority drew attention to growing public outrage and institutional discontent, referencing statements from both the Trades Union Congress (TUC) and the University Teachers Association of Ghana (UTAG). On May Day, the statement said the TUC publicly criticised the government’s “half-hearted” approach to fighting illegal mining, a move that reportedly attracted backlash from NDC loyalists.
UTAG, meanwhile, has issued an ultimatum to the government, demanding decisive action or risk strike action. Their demands include a public denouncement of galamsey, declaration of a state of emergency, repeal of L.I. 2462, prosecution of complicit officials, and impartial enforcement of environmental laws.
According to the Minority, the response from government operatives to such calls has been one of vilification, rather than introspection. “The stakes are too high for silence or games. This is no longer a political debate; it is a moral emergency,” the statement emphasised.
Media and Civil Society Silenced
The Minority also expressed concern over what it described as a “renewed culture of silence” among media houses and civil society organisations (CSOs). It accused the government of pressuring journalists and editors to suppress reports exposing environmental degradation and official complicity.
“Once vocal advocates have gone conspicuously quiet,” the statement said, adding that CSOs now behave like “a second chamber of the Presidency.” It singled out the government’s alleged attempts to silence investigative journalist Erastus Asare Donkor, who has exposed illegal mining operations in forest reserves such as Tano Anwia and Jimira.
Health and Environmental Crisis
Beyond the environmental toll, the Minority cited rising health concerns, particularly in galamsey-affected regions. It claimed that neurologists are reporting increased gallbladder-related conditions linked to polluted water and toxic waste from mining sites.
“The silence and inaction of the government in the face of such clear and present danger is nothing short of criminal,” the statement warned.
Accountability
The Minority demanded an end to what it termed “empty rhetoric, feigned concern, and calculated hypocrisy” by the government. “If the TUC is wrong, show us the results. If UTAG is exaggerating, take us to the rivers and prove them wrong. But if they are not, then it is time to listen – not insult. It is time to act,” the statement said.
Insisting that galamsey is not merely an environmental issue but a governance test, the Minority declared the NDC government’s failure as both embarrassing and dangerous.
“The Ghanaian people deserve better than press releases and photo ops. They deserve clean water, preserved forests, good health and effective leadership. And if the NDC cannot deliver that, then they have no business being in power,” the statement concluded.
By Ernest Kofi Adu, Parliament House