Dr. Ezekiel Agyekum-Obeng, a member of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Communication Team, has asserted that President Nana Akufo-Addo’s initial term strategies to curb illegal mining (galamsey) were more impactful than those of former President John Dramani Mahama.
According to him, while President Mahama has come under pressure from groups such as the Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference, the Coalition Against Galamsey, and other civil society organizations to declare a state of emergency in galamsey-hit areas, he has refused, maintaining that existing laws were sufficient to address the crisis.
Speaking on Channel One TV’s Breakfast Daily on Tuesday, September 16, 2025, Dr. Agyekum-Obeng argued that Akufo-Addo’s first-term interventions yielded visible outcomes, unlike Mahama’s, which he described as ineffective.
“Mahama’s measures against galamsey were like ‘cos 90’. At least during Akufo-Addo’s first term, people could see some progress,” he stated.
He also dismissed recent initiatives by the Lands Ministry as failed ventures that wasted state resources.
“Tell me one bold step the government has taken aside from appearing on camera to appeal to Ghanaians. The minister rolled out policies like the ‘yellow submarine’ and ‘blue sky fighters,’ yet they produced nothing — just another ‘cos 90’ approach and a misuse of resources,” he said.
Meanwhile, during a media interaction on Wednesday, September 10, 2025, President Mahama reiterated that declaring a state of emergency was unnecessary, insisting his government still had the legal tools required to fight illegal mining effectively.
