NDC has always been an enabler of galamsey since 2009 – Miracles Aboagye

The Director of Communications for the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Dennis Miracles Aboagye, has accused the National Democratic Congress (NDC) of enabling illegal mining, popularly known as galamsey, since 2009.

He argued that the illegal mining problem had consistently worsened under NDC administrations and challenged the governing party to demonstrate what he described as its record in fighting the menace.

Speaking on JoyNews’ Newsfile on Saturday, October 31, during a discussion on the Mahama administration’s efforts to tackle galamsey, Mr Aboagye said the NDC had a history of failing to deal effectively with the problem.

“The NDC has always been an enabler of galamsey in this country. Since 2009, they have always been. The history is there, the records are there, the facts are there,” he said.

He said that the situation had deteriorated whenever the NDC had been in government, insisting that the party had not demonstrated a convincing commitment to ending illegal mining.

According to him, he had presented videos and other material to support his claims during the discussion.

“The galamsey situation always worsens when NDC comes to power. That is a fact. And the government that has never been able to show any proof of properly fighting galamsey is always the NDC,” he added.

Mr Aboagye also referred to comments allegedly made in 2013 by former Environment Minister Mahama Ayariga during the previous NDC administration.

He said the former minister had expressed doubts about the possibility of winning the fight against illegal mining, citing the involvement of influential people in society, including pastors, traditional leaders and assembly members.

He said that the comments reflected what he described as the NDC's longstanding position on the galamsey problem.

He further claimed that the former minister had suggested legalising illegal mining, rather than continuing to pursue efforts to stop it.

Mr Aboagye said the NDC had, however, succeeded in creating the impression that it had a more effective approach to tackling illegal mining.

The NPP communications director also questioned the governing party's portrayal of its efforts against illegal mining, arguing that the current administration had yet to match the measures taken by previous governments.

He said the fight against galamsey required a collective national effort and criticised what he described as attempts by the NDC to present itself as having a special solution to the problem.

“This is a social canker that needed everybody to work together to get things going. Let nobody pretend and be hypocritical,” he said.

Mr Aboagye further challenged the government to provide evidence of its achievements in the fight, insisting that its efforts so far fell short of those of the previous administration.

“This government hasn't done even 50 per cent of what the Akuffo-Addo government did in the fight against galamsey. List them, list them. We are all in this country,” he said.