Ben Doe, former Tema West Constituency Chairman of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and a member of the party’s communications team, has criticized President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo for his perceived lack of commitment to combating illegal small-scale mining, known as “galamsey.”
Speaking on “Adekyee Mu Nsem” on Ahotor FM on Monday, September 30, 2024, Ben Doe accused the President of failing to fulfill his promises to fight the galamsey menace.
He claimed that despite Akufo-Addo’s declaration of putting his presidency on the line to end illegal mining, his actions did not match his words.
“The President didn’t walk his talk,”Mr. Doe said, pointing to what he called ineffective enforcement efforts.
Ben Doe highlighted the failure of “Operation Galam-Stop,” a government-led initiative involving the police and military to combat illegal mining, as evidence of the President’s lack of genuine resolve.
“If the operation failed, then the President, as Commander-In-Chief, has also failed,” he asserted, adding that Akufo-Addo’s commitment to tackling galamsey was insufficient.
In contrast, Kwasi Poku Bosompem, Constituency Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in Tema West, argued that success in the fight against galamsey requires community-wide involvement.
Kwasi Poku emphasized that the fight against illegal mining should not be limited to government efforts alone but must include active participation from the entire community.
The ongoing debate over the government’s ability to address illegal small-scale mining continues to divide political figures, with many stakeholders calling for greater accountability and a more comprehensive approach to end the environmental devastation caused by galamsey.
Story by: Emmanuel Romeo Tetteh (#RomeoWrites✍️) / Ahotoronline.com | Ghana🇬🇭
