Galamsey escalation due to politicization by Mahama and NDC — Miracles Aboagye

The 2024 Director of Communications for the NPP flagbearer campaign, Dennis Miracles Aboagye, has blamed President John Dramani Mahama and the National Democratic Congress (NDC) for escalating illegal mining (galamsey) due to its politicization while they were in opposition.

In a social media post on Monday, March 24, Miracles Aboagye questioned why President Mahama continues to deploy security forces to the forests despite his promise to combat galamsey using artificial intelligence (AI).

“You and your fake neutrals weaponized and politicized one of Ghana’s biggest social cankers, galamsey. You promised the criminals who were arrested, tried, and jailed for these wicked acts against nature that you would grant them amnesty if they voted for you. You assured them of their release and the return of their excavators,” he stated.

He further noted, “You told the people to vote for you so you could fight galamsey with artificial intelligence (AI). So, what are you doing with physical force in the forests, risking the lives of our security operatives? Is that the AI you promised?”

Miracles Aboagye bemoaned the worsening situation just 90 days after President Mahama’s inauguration, attributing it to the NDC’s politicization of the issue for electoral gains.

Unlike the NDC’s approach in opposition, he assured that the NPP would support efforts to fight galamsey, regardless of the political administration in power.

“Galamsey has escalated within 90 days at an alarming rate, and today, like never before, illegal miners are confronting security operatives, brandishing weapons, and attacking them. What have you done to us? What have you brought upon the nation?

“But unlike you and your cohorts, we will not use galamsey for politics. We will support you to end this nonsense once and for all to save our motherland. Whatever needs to be done, let’s do it together to win this battle,” he wrote.