The NDC and Galamsey: A Marriage of Deception

Fellow Ghanaians, it is disheartening and painful to witness the National Democratic Congress (NDC) deceive the good people of this country on the issue of illegal mining and environmental degradation. One of the chronic criticisms leveled against the New Patriotic Party (NPP) government by the NDC, state agencies, and civil society organizations (CSOs) was the galamsey menace. Despite the NPP government's efforts to implement measures to curb the menace, the NDC continued to vociferously criticize.

However, during their 2024 campaign and manifesto launch, the NDC codified their stance on galamsey, with their current National Organizer, Joseph Yamin, even suggesting that their government should allow illegal miners to operate, citing the ineffectiveness of taskforces. Such a reckless statement from a high-ranking official like the National Organizer is alarming and demonstrates a lack of seriousness in addressing the issue.

Furthermore, the NDC's Member of Parliament for Aowin Constituency, Hon. Oscar Larbi, has allegedly been involved in galamsey activities, prompting the Aowin Traditional Council to petition the President. Shockingly, the government has turned a deaf ear to this serious issue, rendering the traditional council's efforts futile. What kind of society and country are we building, where the President appears unconcerned about the plight of the nation?

Recently, the Upper Denkyira East Chairman of the NDC was caught on live TV engaging in a physical altercation with military personnel, brazenly demanding that they allow him and his party members to mine illegally. This behavior and comment are appalling, as if we are living in a state of nature where individuals can flout the law with impunity.

The NDC's promise to repeal Legislative Instrument (LI) 2462, which regulates mining in forest reserves, has been reduced to mere rhetoric. Instead of repealing the law, they now talk about amending it, revealing their contradictory stance on environmental issues. Many Ghanaians lost faith in the NPP government due to their handling of galamsey, but the NDC's actions have only exacerbated the problem.

Moreover, the NDC's claim of utilizing Artificial Intelligence to tackle galamsey is nothing but a peddled falsehood, designed to instill false hope in the citizenry without addressing the root causes of the problem. Their vision for tackling galamsey is in shambles, and they have deceived the entire nation with their empty promises.

Additionally, the NDC's promise to declare a state of emergency on galamsey has been abandoned, with their Chairman, Hon. Johnson Asiedu Nketiah, now claiming that declaring a state of emergency would be detrimental to the government. This U-turn has broken the hearts of many patriots and advocacy groups who were calling for decisive action. The NDC's words and actions are not tantamount, and many Ghanaians have lost trust in their administration

Lastly, the NDC's stance on banning all forms of small-scale mining has been inconsistent, with their government previously condemning small-scale mining as a wrong move without assessing the methods employed by these miners. Now that they are in power, they seem reluctant to take a firm stance. We urge the government to take bold steps and combat this menace

In conclusion, the NDC's actions and inactions on galamsey have exposed their true intentions, and it is time for Ghanaians to hold them accountable. We must demand tangible actions from our leaders to address this existential threat to our nation.

MASTER SIMON OPPONG KAGYA
KNUST TESCON VICE PRESIDENT
64TH KNUST SRC WELFARE COMMISSIONER

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