The Minority in Parliament has kicked against the huge budgetary allocation made to the Ghana Gold Board ahead of agriculture, health and others.
The Minority has described the GH¢4.5 billion appropriation for the Goldbod as a trick employed by the government to legitimize the illegal mining as some members.
The Minority Leader, Afenyo Markin at a press conference accused the government of glorifying illegal mining with National Democratic Congress(NDC) members actively involved.
“We’re all aware of the challenges we face as a nation, specifically on galamsey. Our friends who are in government made some promises. Today, they are now the Apostles who are promoting galamsey.
“They are using their numbers to now establish what has become known as Galamsey Board. The government, instead of investing in agric, women’s banking, 24-hour economy policy, it used for the 2204 elections. It’s rather giving GHC4.6 billion to galamsey operators,” he stated.
The Effutu MP further questioned the government’s commitment to combating illegal mining.
“If you say bring an enactment and say your focus is on small-scale mining, all of us in this country know that small-scale mining is galamsey. Is this government really ready to fight galamsey?
“How do you say you’re establishing a new entity that is going to monopolise the purchase of gold from small-scale miners, and now you are going to regulate galamsey and you’re going to give them money?” he quizzed.
Meanwhile, Parliament on Friday passed the Ghana Gold Board Bill 2025 through a majority decision after the Minority boycotted the process.
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