Governance Expert, David Zekpah has slammed the New Patriotic Party (NPP) MP for Effiduase-Asokore Constituency, Dr. Afriyie Ayew for his comments on illegal mining which has sent waves across well-meaning Ghanaians for his insensitive position on illegal mining.
David Zekpah also expressed disappointment over the utterances of the govt and its officials, in the fight against galamsay.
He said, govt has paid lip service to the calls by Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), recognized bodies and Trade Unions, in the fight against the menace of galamsay which has become threatening to life itself.
Dr. Afriyie who is also a medical doctor, as well as, Chairman of the Party’s health Committee said, fighting galamsay would let the NPP lose parliamentary seats and would therefore, as govt, would not stop those involved galamsay, least it loses the upcoming elections.
Galamsay is a term used to describe illegal small-scale mining activities, particularly for gold
It is often done in a way that violates environmental laws and disrupts local ecosystems, causing deforestation, water pollution, and land degradation.
Mr. Zekpah, on the comments said, the attitude of the govt and its officials is a naked propaganda, adding that, the utterances of Dr. Afriyie, has exposed govt’s seeming attempt in fighting the canker.
Mr. Zekpah said, Dr. Afriyie’s comment is not a mere statement and cannot be washed down the drain.
Dr. Zekpah was speaking with Ahotor 92.3fm midday news.
“The govt has imported a deliberate effort to politicize the calls for the fight against the galamsay canker’.
“He has applied a concerted effort, import propaganda, and misled the people’. He said.
According to Mr. Zekpah, Dr, Afriyie’s assertion that, the NPP lost some seats in 2020 elections due to their fight against galamsay is false and without merit.
He explained that, the govt did not lose the seats as a result of their fight against galamsay, but rather the harsh economy the govt unleashed upon the people, and questioned the doomsayers if Ledzokuku and some seats in Greater Accra were due to galamsay fight.
“That political impact assessment is misleading: the loses were mainly economics.
He said, the NPP MPs still control the epi-centre of galamsay, and therefore the NPPs argument is pedestrian and lacks merit.
Explaining that, some of the seats the NPP lost were originally for the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and were lost to the NPP.
However, due to poor governance, were lost in the favour of the NDC.
Mr. Zekpa concluded that, Dr. Afriyie’s comments exposes govt’s arrests of demonstrators through the police, as it is clear that, the arrest is a political strategy to clamp down on those who are calling on govt to sit up to the galamsay fight.
Godfred Sey/ Ahotoronline.com
