You and NDC exploited galamsey issue for votes in 2020 — Sulemana Braimah blasts Mahama

The Executive Director of the Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA), Mr. Sulemana Braimah has accused former President John Dramani Mahama of being part of the mess caused by the activities of illegal mining popularly known as galamsey.

He alleged that Mr. Mahama instead of helping to end the menace capitalised on the galamsey fight to amass votes in the 2020 elections.

In a tweet on October 6 spotted by Modernghana News, Mr. Braimah intimated that the fight against galamsey should be collective devoid of partisanship.

“Ahead of the 2020 election, former President Mahama and his NDC party exploited the Galamsey issue for votes. That was not patriotism, it was partisanship. The Galamsey fight needs the commitment of all,” his tweet reads.

The former President is seen in a short video during the 2020 elections saying that his next government will release persons arrested by the ruling NPP for engaging in illegal mining.

Recently, the debate about the activities of illegal mining has heightened.

This comes on the heels of the re-arrest of Chinese Galamsey Kingpin, Aisha Huang and the recent documentary titled "Destruction for Gold" by Multimedia Journalist Erastus Asare Donkor which revealed the alarming rate of polluted river bodies caused by illegal mining.

This prompted President Akufo-Addo to convene a meeting with the National House of Chiefs and MMDCEs on the galamsey threat on Wednesday, October 5 in Kumasi.

During the meeting, the President reaffirmed his willingness to combat illegal mining, urging the chiefs to support his vision. He also warned MMDCEs engaging in the act to desist from it or face the consequences when caught.