During his thank-you tour in the North East Region on Tuesday, October 15, President Nana Akufo-Addo expressed his willingness to take political risks to address the pressing issue of illegal mining, known as galamsey.
Speaking to local chiefs, the President emphasized the severity of the galamsey crisis and reaffirmed his commitment to tackling it head-on, regardless of the potential political fallout.
President Akufo-Addo acknowledged that the New Patriotic Party (NPP) lost significant ground in constituencies affected by galamsey.
This loss, he noted, highlights the urgent need for effective and sustainable solutions to the problems caused by illegal mining activities.
The President’s recognition of the political ramifications underscores the complex dynamics at play as he seeks to navigate the challenges posed by galamsey.
In his address, President Akufo-Addo urged all stakeholders to approach the issue of galamsey without partisan biases.
He stressed that the fight against illegal mining should be a collective effort, transcending political affiliations.
By fostering a united front, he believes that Ghana can develop more effective strategies to combat the environmental and social consequences of galamsey.
“This galamsey matter, which has risen a lot in Ghana today. The last election in the mining districts of the country, the NPP did very badly largely because the NDC presidential candidate and the party had gone around the mining areas and saying that the policy that I was implementing of trying to stop galamsey would be reversed when he came to power and that those who were already in jail for offenses, the galamsey offenses, all of them would be amnestied.”
“When I said I was putting my presidency on the line, that’s what I meant, that I was prepared to take the political risk involved in trying to deal with this galamsey phenomenon. The result, of course, was that the mining districts, especially in the western region, all of them, including almost nearly even Tarkwa, was lost to the NPP. That is what I meant when I said I’m putting my presidency on the line, that I was prepared to take the political risk involved in coming to grips with this problem,” he stated.