This evening the Western North Regional Communications
Director of the NPP, Mr. Addo Harry, released a communique with regards to what HE John Mahama said about illegal mining yesterday during the media encounter, in his opinion, Mr. Addo Harry described what HE John Mahama said about galamsey as a betrayal and abandonment of the peoples trust.
I’m not sure Mr. Addo Harry has been following what’s happening in this country with respect to the fight against galamsey.
In less than a year, the NDC has taken significant steps to curb the menace, which President John Mahama mentioned yesterday.
Let it be placed on record that:
The NDC has reclaimed, all nine (9) red zones of galamsey,
These were areas that the party Mr. Addo Harry belongs to had destroyed and were marked as red zones of galamsey, this significant step should tell Mr Harry and the NPP that fighting galamsey under NDC isn’t a joke.
Regarding LI 2462, which was passed in November 2022 by Addo Harry’s NPP and which the NDC promised to repeal, in just nine months, the interim minister of environment has taken the necessary steps to repeal it of which the Coalition for Anti-Galamsey has commended the government for this swift action.
In an effort to combat this menace, this government hasn’t issued any mining licenses to mine in forest reserves in these nine months. This another commendable efforts made by this government.
Even in light of these efforts, the government, through the Transport Ministry and DVLA, has a new legislative measure underway to ensure that permits are sought before importing excavators into this country.
The government has deployed Blue Water Guards who are entitled to ensure that our water bodies are free from galamsey activities.
Also because the fight against illegal mining should be based on data, communication, and coordination, the government has launched a secretariat known as NAIMOS, responsible for tackling this menace.
You can’t fight illegal mining without finding an alternative for those whose lives depend on the menace. Due to this, the government has launched Responsible Cooperative Mining (rCOMSDEP) to provide young people with requisite responsible mining skills to help curb the menace.
Also, Mr. Addo Harry and the NPP should know that Ghana Goldbod is not involved in galamsey in any way or form.
In fact, during the press briefing yesterday, the President made it known that necessary legislation is in place to track gold proceeds from illegal mining to help deal with the menace.
So, if a government in just nine months is doing all this, how then do you describe it as a disappointment?
I’m shocked that Mr. Addo Harry wants the NDC to use nine months to end something they struggled with for eight years without finding solutions to it.
The NDC is keen in fighting illegal mining.
Mr. Addo Harry and the NPP should focus on how to fix their broken party and help his party leadership in finding X.
Thank you,
Comrade Martey,
Regional Communications Team Member,
NDC, WNR,
0530338714
