Akwasi Addae Odike, Founder and Leader of the United Progressive Party (UPP), says the National Democratic Congress (NDC) will not be able to stop illegal small-scale mining, popularly known as galamsey.
While in opposition, the NDC heavily criticised the New Patriotic Party (NPP) for encouraging the practice, blaming former President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo for being the mastermind behind it.
President John Dramani Mahama, then the NDC flagbearer, promised to adopt several measures, including the use of artificial intelligence, to curb the menace.
But speaking on Accra-based Adom FM’s Dwaso Nsem morning show, Odike said all the noise and promises made by the NDC while in opposition were only for political gain.
“NDC cannot stop galamsey. Their mindset is to come and score political points against the previous NPP government while benefiting from the same illegal mining. Our problem in Ghana is cyclical — NPP and NDC have realised that Ghanaians only lament but still vote for them,” he said.
“We are still experiencing a colonial mindset, perpetuated by our own people. The activities of some Chinese individuals are destroying our water bodies. We are fighting against nature in this country, and nature will eventually fight back.”
He further bemoaned the dire consequences of the practice, including the lack of clean water and degraded lands if the menace is allowed to continue.
“If we continue down this path, there will come a time when we cannot access clean water. There should be a complete ban on all forms of surface mining. All those who claim to have licenses should present their documents for auditing, including multinational companies.
“We must also reclaim destroyed lands, restore them, and plant crops that will benefit the country. As a nation, we need to come together and determine the best approach to stop galamsey,” he added.
