FixTheCountry accuses NDC of PR, propaganda in fight against galamsey

FixTheCountry Movement has accused the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC) of employing public relations and propaganda instead of taking real action against illegal small-scale mining, known locally as galamsey.

According to the pressure group, despite the President John Dramani Mahama’s campaign promises to treat the issue as a national emergency, its approach since assuming office has been nothing but “PR gimmicks, political propaganda, and empty rhetoric with no tangible results.”

In a statement issued by the conveners of the #FreeTheCitizens and #StopGalamseyNow protests on Monday, March 24, they expressed disappointment over what they described as the government’s failure to tackle the menace with the urgency it deserves.

“The pollution of our rivers continues. Our forests are still being destroyed. Communities are suffering, and the so-called task forces and committees set up to address the issue have failed to make any real impact,” the statement read.

“The district assemblies are fully aware of the number of excavators operating within their jurisdictions. The government knows the foreign companies that have set up businesses to hire excavators to illegal miners. The government also knows the individuals and entities with mining licenses—who is operating legally and who is not,” it added.

FixTheCountry further questioned the rationale behind the government’s recent announcement of “water guards” to protect rivers, deeming it another distraction to deceive the public while illegal miners continue their destruction.

“We do not need ‘water guards’—we need enforcement of the law. We need real action, not more committees and task forces that have historically failed,” the statement stressed.