Bediako vows to protect Ghana's lands from foreign illegal miners

Nana Kwame Bediako, the leader and independent presidential candidate of the New Force, has pledged to industrialize Ghana's gold sector and end illegal mining, also known as galamsey, if he comes into power.

Bediako has said that he will drive Chinese galamsey operators out of the country and help transform Ghanaian galamsey operators to become professional gold miners in an environmentally friendly manner.

He has criticized Chinese mining activities, stating that they are harmful to the environment and the health and well-being of Ghanaians.

During a press conference today, he warned that if left unchecked, the devastating environmental and health impacts of galamsey will lead to severe consequences, including eye problems for children, in the next 10-15 years.

Bediako pledged decisive action, vowing to house arrest Chinese nationals involved in the illegal mining.

"For me as a leader, the first thing I will do is I will stop the foreigners who are destroying our lives. In fact, if the Chinese heard me, I would probably put hundreds or thousands of them under house arrest and call the Chinese president that this is what they have done to my country.

"You have cost 33 million people's lives, and therefore, you are going to be responsible for building and fabricating all our plants that will recycle this water again for us to get our lives back. And after, I will release your people to you after four years of hard work to fix my country. Just to show the world that we are not animals here. You cannot go to anyone's country and destroy their water, destroy their cocoa, destroy their whole life," he said.