Both NPP and NDC love galamsey; they have no moral right to accuse each other – Prof Frimpong-Boateng

Former Minister for Environment, Science and Technology, Professor Kwabena Frimpong-Boateng, has criticised both the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the National Democratic Congress (NDC) over their handling of illegal mining, popularly known as galamsey.

He said neither party has a strong moral position to accuse the other of failing to tackle the menace.

According to him, the NPP established what he described as a solid institutional architecture to fight illegal mining but later weakened the same system, undermining its ability to criticise the NDC over the issue.

“I don’t see any fight. They [NDC] love it. NPP also loves it," Prof Frimpong-Boateng made the comments on Accra-based Channel One TV’s The Point of View on Wednesday, September 16.

He said the NDC’s electoral victory in the 2024 general election was partly influenced by public dissatisfaction with the NPP’s handling of illegal mining.

He, however, argued that some of those who expected the NDC to tackle the problem decisively could now be disappointed with the government’s approach.

Prof Frimpong-Boateng also criticised what he described as Ghana’s continued reliance on foreign expertise to address problems he believes local institutions should be capable of handling.

He questioned reports about engagements between Ghanaian authorities and Chinese officials on issues involving geological surveys and mining, arguing that Ghana, decades after independence, should have developed sufficient expertise to manage such matters.

Prof Frimpong-Boateng served as Environment, Science and Technology Minister under the Akufo-Addo administration from 2017 to 2021 and was also a key figure in the government's earlier efforts to combat illegal mining.