A Political Science Lecturer at KNUST, Dr. Kwasi Amakye Boateng, has criticized President Nana Addo Dankwah Akufo-Addo’s inability to curb galamsey which he believes stems from the benefits of office.
Dr. Boateng notes that the President’s priorities have shifted from advocating against galamsey in opposition to now reaping its rewards.
Speaking in an interview with Millicent Safo Adu on Bresosem at Abusua965FM, Dr. Boateng beleived the ruling NPP’s focus on former President Mahama’s stance on galamsey aims to divert attention from their own struggles in combating the issue. He emphasis this tactic seeks to discredit Mahama and undermine his potential future efforts to address galamsey.
He said “I foresee that Akuffo Addo and NPP want to divert attention from the fight against galamsey to John Mahama. The reason they’re doing this is to involve Mahama in the galamsey conversation, suggesting that when it comes to galamsey, he cannot speak about it because if he comes into office, he will do the same and won’t fight it”.
Dr. Boateng however noted that President Akufo-Addo’s inability to combat illegal mining, known as galamsey, attributing it to the “fruit of office.” He asserted that while in opposition, Akufo-Addo spoke of “fruit of office,” he now seems more focused on gold extracted from galamsey activities.
“The fruit of office is the reason they cannot end galamsey. Today, what they’re after is not the fruit he, Akuffo Addo talked about in opposition, but gold. They’re taking gold directly from galamsey”
He further questioned the government’s commitment to ending galamsey, noting their hesitation to act decisively as their term nears completion stressing “they are hesitant to stop galamsey since there are only two months left before their tenure ends, and they will lose benefit”, Dr Boateng stressed.
Dr. Amakye Boateng contended that the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) is more concerned with undermining former President and flagbearer of the National Democratic Congress, John Dramani Mahama’s stance on galamsey than addressing the issue itself.
He emphasized “President Akufo-Addo and the NPP are interested in former President Mahama’s stance on galamsey because they aim to break the eight-year cycle of alternating political power. However, instead of focusing on the necessary steps to achieve this goal, they’re exploiting Mahama’s silence on the issue, which could ultimately work against him. After all, Akufo-Addo and the NPP will likely capitalize on this silence for political gain”.
Dr. Boateng highlighted the contradiction in the government’s previous decision to allow mining in forest reserves and their current attempts to revoke that law under public pressure.
“Is it not the same government that passed a law allowing mining in forest reserves? Why are they now seeking to revoke that law after facing public pressure? Has their understanding of the law’s implications changed since its passage?”, he quizzes.
Source: www.kumasimail.com / Kwadwo Owusu
