The National Democratic Congress (NDC) has signalled that it will embark on a pro-galamsey campaign in all mining communities across the country as part of its 2024 campaign just like it did ahead of the 2020 presidential and parliamentary elections.
Deputy National Communication Officer of the NDC, Kwaku Boahen confirmed this decision of the opposition party in an interview on UTVNDC this week, pointing out that the party has tasked him to lead the pro-galamsey effort of the NDC in every mining community.
In sharp contrast, the NDC appears to be leading an anti galamsey and anti-small scaling mining campaign in the Greater Accra Region through its open support for elements within “Organised Labour” who have decided to embark on a much-criticised industrial strike from Thursday, 10 October 2024.
“The NPP lost in all the mining sites across the country in the 2020 general elections due to the volume of work I (Kwaku Boahen) did in those areas. I am going to repeat it this year, I am going back to the mining areas because while we are campaigning, the children (Galamseyers) are in the forest mining so we will send our message to them,” Kwaku Boahen said during the interview on UTV.
A video surfaced online which captured Mr Boahen in the run-up to the 2020 election campaigning at a galamsey site and assuring a group of illegal miners of the NDC and a Mahama-led administration’s commitment to strengthen their operation at a time when President Akufo-Addo had pledged to put his presidency on the line to combat galamsey.
Over the last 4 weeks, calls from various quarters have been on the increase calling on the government to take decisive steps to stop galamsey due to its negative impact on the nation’s water bodies and forest reserves. Organised Labour, on the other hand, has threatened to embark on a strike.
President Akufo-Addo following the notice of Organised Labour to embark on an industrial action to press home their demand, extended an invitation to their leadership for a meeting on Thursday, 3 October 2024, at the seat of Ghana’s presidency, Jubilee House.
The meeting according to a statement issued by the Minister for Information, Fatimatu Abubakar on Monday, 7 October 2024, discussed the long-standing issue of illegal mining, reviewed the situation and Government’s efforts thus far.
It was agreed between the parties that the government would collaborate with Organised Labour and other stakeholders in the fight against illegal mining and also take steps, when Parliament reconvenes, this month (October), to revoke the Environmental Protection (Mining in Forest Reserves) Regulations, 2023 (L. I. 2462).
“The government would ramp up its enforcement measures, particularly as it relates to prohibiting illegal mining in water bodies and forest reserves and that water bodies and Forest Reserves remain Red Zones for mining, and all forms of mining in water bodies, as well as reconnaissance, prospecting, exploration and/or small-scale mining in Forest Reserves, remain banned,” the information minister’s statement read.
Reporting by Wilberforce Asare in Accra
Asaase Broadcasting Company airs on Asaase 99.5 Accra, Asaase 98.5 Kumasi, Asaase 99.7 Tamale, Asaase 100.3 Cape Coast, AsaasePa 107.3 (Accra).
Affiliates: Bawku FM 101.5, Bead FM 99.9 (Bimbilla), Mining City Radio 89.5 (Tarkwa), Nandom FM 101.9, Nyatefe Radio 94.5 (Dzodze), Sissala Radio 96.3 (Tumu), Somuaa FM 89.9 (Gushegu), Stone City 90.7 (Ho) and Wale FM 106.9 (Walewale).
Listen online: asaaseradio.com, Sound Garden and TuneIn.
Follow us:
X: @asaaseradio995, @Asaase985ksi, @Asaase997tamale, @asaase1003, asaasepa1073
Instagram: asaaseradio99.5, asaase985ksi, asaase100.3, asaase99.7tamale, asaasepa107.3
LinkedIn: company/asaaseradio995. TikTok: @asaaseradio99.5
Facebook: asaase99.5, asaase985ksi, Asaase100.3, asaase99.7, AsaasePa107.3.
YouTube: AsaaseRadioXtra.
Join the conversation. Accra: call 020 000 9951/054 888 8995, WhatsApp 020 000 0995. Kumasi: call 059 415 7985 or call/WhatsApp 020 631 5260. Tamale: call/WhatsApp/SMS 053 554 6468. Cape Coast: call/WhatsApp 059 388 2652.
#AsaaseRadio
