Founder and Leader of United Progressive Party, Akwasi Addai ‘Odike’, has called for the resignation of President Akufo-Addo for his minimal action taken against ‘galamsey’ activities in the country.
Mr Addai noted that five years after President Akufo-Addo promised Ghanaians to put an end to ‘galamsey’ activities, “the situation is becoming dire by the day and ‘galamsey’ has fought him (President Akufo-Addo).”
This, he said sends a signal that the President must step down from office.
“He must leave office for somebody who can do the job. He has failed the battle against galamsey, it is clear. He has lost it. He put his presidency on the line and if he is honest to the people and has conscience to protect, he must resign honourably,” he said on The Pulse, Monday.
He further accused the President of being intolerant to accept divergent views from experts and other political parties to deal with the menace.
“Nana Addo has not extended invitation to anybody. He claims that he can solve it that is why he put his presidency on the line. Had it been that he has extended invitation to all of us (stakeholders, experts and technocrats) to come and join… I was expecting that in the Kumasi forum, there should have been experts that can bring on board divergent ideas to deal with the matter but he brought the Chiefs and the government that we are blaming that they are part of it together. How can we resolve this issue?
“Nana Addo does not want all-inclusive governance. Since he assumed office none of his policies has he invited any political leader even when we are bringing alternatives he thinks that we are distractors to him,” Mr said.
He entreated President Akufo-Addo to issue an Executive Instrument (E.I) to ban surface mining in the country.
This, Mr Odike explained, is because both legal and illegal miners have all ‘messed up.’
Therefore, imposing an E. I on mining would help to reduce illegal mining activities.
“If I were the President, I would have used the Executive Instrument to put a temporary ban on the illegal activities, because at this point we don’t know who is doing legal or illegal mining … for now, the President has to come out with E. I to put a ban on every form of surface mining,” he said.