President Akufo-Addo says his government is yet to win the fight against illegal mining otherwise known as galamsey.
The President said the battle is nowhere near being won despite all the efforts he and his government has put into fighting it.
Speaking to the National House of Chiefs at Manyhia on Wednesday, President Akufo-Addo described the phenomenon as “worrying”.
“We have tried many initiatives, including that of the Community Mining Scheme, and the establishment of a new legal regime for dealing with the perpetrators of this phenomenon, which has imposed severe sanctions on those Ghanaians and foreigners convicted of illegal mining.
“Still, we have not won the fight,” he said.
President Akufo-Addo also said he meant it when he said he will put his presidency on the line against the fight.
According to him, he was being truthful when he made that proclamation in 2017.
“Since I took office on January 7, 2017, nearly six years ago, I have made it a central feature of my presidency to lead in the effort to rid our country of this menace. Indeed, it was an important aspect of my inaugural of that day.
“It has not been easy, popular and we have not got the immediate result that I was looking for.
“Indeed, in the 2020 election, my stance on the issue caused my party and I significant loses in the mining communities.”