Mahama’s galamsey fight terrible; I’m surprised he sleeps comfortably at night — Jerry Ahmed

The Second Deputy Minority Chief Whip in Parliament and MP for Weija-Gbawe, Jerry Ahmed Shaib, has criticised the John Dramani Mahama-led administration over what he described as an abysmal fight against illegal mining, known locally as galamsey.

According to him, the fight against the long-standing menace has been poor since the NDC took over on January 7.

Speaking on Accra-based Starr FM’s Star Chat hosted by Bola Ray, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) lawmaker expressed shock that President Mahama could sleep comfortably at night while the country’s water bodies and environment are being destroyed.

“The galamsey fight under Mahama is terrible. It’s in proportions that are humongous, huge, that I would not in any way think that President Mahama will still be comfortable sleeping at home and thinking that they should still persist,” he said.

Since assuming office, the NDC government has launched several initiatives, including the Blue Water Guards, to protect water bodies from pollution.

But the NPP MP believes these efforts are insufficient to curb galamsey, adding that he doubts if illegal miners would be deterred by the river patrol teams.

“Are you telling me that a proper galamseyer can be stopped by a Blue Water police or whatever?

“President Mahama even told us while he was in opposition that there was going to be a state of emergency in areas where galamsey is being perpetuated, but nothing has been done,” he said.