Independent Presidential candidate Nana Kwame Bediako, also known as Cheddar, has said that his expenditure on connecting the sea to Kumasi in the Ashanti Region will be higher than originally estimated due to the effects of illegal mining, popularly known as galamsey.

According to him, the heavy pollution of water bodies caused by galamsey will require additional costs for purifying the water, increasing the overall expenditure. Cheddar emphasized the potential of water bodies to enhance the lives of people globally.

A few months ago, he faced backlash for his promise to dredge the sea to landlocked Kumasi in the Ashanti Region to stimulate industrialization, a pledge he made during his campaign tour. However, while addressing a crowd in the Ashanti Region, where he is currently campaigning, Nana Kwame Bediako reaffirmed his commitment to the project.

"You just watched a video of the sea. If you look at River Pra, which is located here in the Ashanti Region, it stretches all the way to Cape Coast and into the sea. But today, the river has been destroyed due to the effects of galamsey. So, I will have to incur more costs in connecting the sea to Kumasi because the water is polluted, and I will have to purify it. But it is very possible," he explained.

"Our forefathers wanted us to connect our various water bodies so we could travel on them and feed the land with these water bodies. This way, farmers would not have to wait for rain to work on their farms. Irrigation is the way forward," the businessman-turned-politician continued.

He added, "If you look at the Ashanti Region, there are many businesses, but the sea does not extend to this area. Containers can't be transported here; goods are always transported by land. Although there are water bodies, they have not been connected. Many regions have water bodies, and if they are connected, it will facilitate development in those areas. I will connect the sea to Kumasi."

My expenditure on connecting the sea to Kumasi will increase due to the effects of galamsey. - Leader of the New Force, Nana Kwame Bediako. pic.twitter.com/p8Jh2RQu6V

— EDHUB🌍ℹ (@eddie_wrt) October 18, 2024