The opposition National Democratic Congress says the Senior Minister, Yaw Osafo-Maafo, has exposed the President’s real position on the fight against illegal mining popularly known as ‘galamsey’.

According to the NDC, the government’s purported failure in the fight against illegal mining is due to the President’s inaction on appointees reportedly fueling activities of galamsey.

At a press conference Tuesday, the NDC said several questionable actions by appointees of the president have rendered the fight against galamsey unsuccessful.

This follows by Osafo-Maafo on the release and repatriation of Chinese galamsey queen Aisha Huang.

Mr Osafo-Maafo during a recent town hall meeting abroad told a gathering that “…Putting that lady [Aisha Huang – the Chinese galamsey queen] in jail in Ghana is not going to solve your economic problems. It is not going to make you or me happy, that’s not important.”

He went on to state that China gives Ghana a lot of money and must be mindful before any citizen of that country is jailed in Ghana.

But Communications Director of the NDC Sammy Gyamfi addressing the press conference said government must overhaul the Inter ministerial Committee on mining.

“With regards to Osafo-Maafo’s disgraceful but honest confessions, it is our view that the Senior Minister only communicated the position of President Akufo-Addo and his government”.

“This is the reason why…the government has so far not had the courage to denounce or contradict him. The Akufo-Addo government has amply demonstrated that like the biblical Esau, the interest of the people of Ghana matters little when it comes to instant gratification. Despite what he said about caring for the next generation more than the next election, all that matters to Akufo-Addo is to obtain money at all cost so as to do some projects that they hope will help them win election 2020.

“However, we know without a shadow of doubt that the Ghanaian people will punish President Akufo-Addo for this monumental betrayal of our trust and mandate”.



Below is the full statement by the NDC