Myself and MCE will protect you from soldiers – Western Regional Minister to ‘galamsey’ operators

A New Patriotic Party (NPP) parliamentary candidate for Amenfi East has assured illegal miners of his readiness to protect them with support from the MCE and Western Regional Minister, Kwabena Okyere Darko Mensah.

Ernest Frimpong, who is contesting the Amenfi East parliamentary seat on the ticket of the NPP, has assured all persons indulging in illegal mining which is also known as ‘galamsey’, in his constituency that, they will ensure no military officer or any security operative intimidates their work.

Speaking to a gathering in the presence of the Regional Minister, in a video which has since gone viral on social media, the parliamentary aspirant noted that he was taking the details of the illegal miners to create a [WhatsApp] platform which both the MCE and Minister would be on, to ensure any issues they encounter in line of their work is reported.

“So, we are taking your names and details for the bigger picture. I will create a platform with your contacts and I will be on it, I’ll put the MCE on it and the Regional Minister too will be on it. So, if you encounter any challenge on the site, just send a voice note to the platform that ‘I’m at Suhyenso, Asomdwee, and some soldiers have come here to arrest us and take our machines away.’ If I am not able to listen at the time, maybe RM (Regional Minister) will do and inform MCE to go and check what is happening there,” he said in the video.

Mr. Frimpong speaking to the illegal miners with W/R Minister, Kwabena Okyere Darko Mensah (in yellow dress) looking on with the MCE , Mr. Frimpong had already admonished the ‘galamseyers’, as they are known locally, to resist any attempt by the security to stop them from doing their work.

“But if anyone comes and orders you out for the mere purpose that he is a soldier, do not look at the uniform he is wearing, if he hits you, hit him back, fight him and I will come there. Oh yes, we won’t tolerate those things. If he came on a patrol, then he is passing by, and that is why we are telling you that we have revoked the authority they had to arrest you. If you are doing illegal and he comes to arrest you, he is also doing illegal so arrest him back.

“You don’t work for the police or military because government pays them for the work they do. Those living close to the sea are fishing so you also have the right to mine gold if you live on gold,” he influenced.