PRESIDENT NANA Akufo-Addo says he has kept his promise of working to stop illegal mining also known as ‘Galamsey’ in the country to protect the environment.

He said his determination to stop the illegal mining menace made the New Patriotic Party (NPP) to lose huge votes in the mining areas during the 2020 elections.

The president said his desire to defeat Galamsey has not yielded the intended results yet, stressing that he would continue to fight to defeat illegal mining.

“During my inaugural address as the president on January 7, 2017, I pledged to work assiduously to stop illegal mining, which posed threat to our survival.

“The fight has not been easy; it has not been popular among some of the people and the battle has not been won yet despite the huge efforts and sacrifices.

“During 2020 presidential elections, my political party, the NPP, lost more votes in the mining areas because of my resolve to defeat the illegal mining menace.

“My message of putting my presidency on the line to stop Galamsey during the campaign period made the NPP to lose vital votes in the mining areas”, he indicated.

The president said he is not worried about the consequences that the NPP suffered during the last polls, noting that he would sustain the Galamsey fight.

Addressing the National House of Chiefs in Kumasi, in the Ashanti Region, he said some key arrests and prosecutions have been made yet Galamsey still persists.

Woo Chiefs

The president urged all traditional leaders in the country to rally behind his administration so that the illegal mining menace would be defeated once and for all.

“Take partisan and political interest out of the Galamsey fight and let’s face the problem with a national approach to defeat Galamsey”, he told the chiefs.

Chiefs, he said, by their position in society, are crucially needed if Galamsey, which is rapidly destroying river bodies and the environment, could be defeated.

“About 80 percent of lands are under the care of our chiefs and the president is holding the remaining 20 percent in trust for Ghanaians. This shows your authority.

“This is a clearly shows that the land management of our country is the responsibility of the president and our great chiefs”, President Akufo-Addo pointed out.

Prez Invite Ghanaians

The president also urged the citizenry, irrespective of their political affiliations, to join his government to help protect the environment for future generations.

“Join hands with me to stop illegal mining and save our environment. We have to win this illegal mining battle and protect our heritage for generations yet unborn”, he said.

Prez Stance On Mining

The president stated emphatically that he is not against responsible mining, noting that he would not allow illegal mining to pose threat to the environment.

He said gold was mined in the country in the past in a responsible way without harming the environment, but the trend has changed from good to bad now.

The Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Abu Jinapor, Senior Minister, Yaw Osafo Marfo, Simon Osei Mensah, Ashanti Regional Minister and others were present.

By I.F. Joe Awuah Jnr.,
Kumasi