The Director of Communications of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Richard Ahiagbah, has accused the National Democratic Congress (NDC) of working against the government’s fight against illegal small-scale mining (Galamsey).
Citing a video in which a member of the communications team of the NDC Kwaku Boahen is seen allegedly encouraging galamsey, Mr Ahiagbah said that the NDC has been fueling galamsey through their counter-political messaging around the galamsey menace for votes.
Beyond the “NDC sabotage”, Mr Ahiagbah said, the presidential candidate of the NPP Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia plans to integrate the Chiefs, open more community mining, and empower District Inspectorates in mining communities to guard, regulate, and prevent irresponsible or illegal mining.
“These are solutions Ghana must vote for because we have to win the fight against galamsey for ourselves and posterity,” he said in a post on his X page.
His comments come at a time when Dr Bawumia has stated that under no circumstance should the rivers and other waters be destroyed by activities of galamsey.
He says a Bawumia Presidency will collaborate with the mining communities to protect the environment while promoting sustainable mining.
He has proposed reforms including changing the licensing and monitoring regime to actively involve Chiefs and the local community in mining, and also establishing the Minerals Development Bank to provide financing for the capital-intensive venture of mining. among others.
He said this in a Facebook post after his campaign tour of Evalue Gwira Ajomoro, Prestea Huni Valley and Tarkwa Nsuaem constituencies in the Western Region on Saturday, September 28
“During engagements with the chiefs, leadership and people, I explained my proposals to promote and enhance responsible mining, including reforms in the licensing and monitoring regime to actively involve Chiefs and the local community, and the establishment of a Minerals Development Bank to provide financing for the capital intensive venture of mining. among others,” he wrote.
He added “Our rivers and other waters are precious and must not be destroyed. A Bawumia Presidency will collaborate with the mining communities to protect our environment while promoting sustainable mining. It is possible!”
Mr Ahiagbah in his post said “There are three verities to note in the fight to defeat gamalsey…. It threatens our collective future; The government has put in bold efforts to defeat or mitigate the galamsey menace. Therefore, the current undesirable state of our water bodies is not due to the lack of government effort or commitment to the fight against galamsey; The NDC has been fueling galamsey through their counter-political messaging around the galamsey menace for votes. Just look at the NDC video below.
“To blame the NDC in large part for the present state of our water bodies is to state the obvious. But beyond the NDC sabotage, Dr. Bawumia plans to integrate the Chiefs, open more community mining, and empower District Inspectorates in mining communities to guard, regulate, and prevent irresponsible or illegal mining. These are solutions Ghana must vote for because we have to win the fight against galamsey for ourselves and posterity. It’s possible!! The fight against galamsey is a continuum, and the next NPP administration under Bawumia will prevail.”
There are three verities to note in the fight to defeat gamalsey….
1. It threatens our collective future;
2. The government has put in bold efforts to defeat or mitigate the galamsey menace. Therefore, the current undesirable state of our water bodies is not due to the lack… pic.twitter.com/Q0KFDwtqDJ
— Richard Ahiagbah (@RAahiagbah) September 30, 2024
Source:
3news.com
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, Richard Ahiagbah, has accused the National Democratic Congress (NDC) of working against the government's fight against illegal small-scale mining (Galamsey). Citing a video in which a member of the communications team of the NDC Kwaku Boahen is seen allegedly encouraging galamsey, Mr Ahiagbah said that){kind=link}