The New Patriotic Party (NPP) Member of Parliament (MP) for Asante Akim South, Kwaku Asante-Boateng, has stated that the government is not willing to enforce a strict ban on illegal mining, popularly known as galamsey, as a result of fears of losing the upcoming December 7 elections.

According to the MP, the NPP faced backlash from mining communities in the 2020 elections due to its firm stance against galamsey. 

Speaking to journalists on October 2, 2024, Asante-Boateng suggested that the current government’s hesitance to impose a total ban on all forms of mining is tied to the fear of repeating that outcome, which could affect any political party. 

He pointed out that their crackdown on illegal mining contributed to the loss of parliamentary seats in mining areas.

“We did it as a party and as a government before the 2020 elections. And if you can recount, all our seats in the mining communities that we were trying to control, we lost all the seats, the parliamentary seats there.

“So, do you think for the second time, if we say we want to break the 8 and people are crying for that ban, the current government will have the guts or will find it necessary to put a ban on it?

“The fear of losing power [is delaying the ban], and that fear can happen to any party at all,” citinewsroom.com quoted him to have said.

AM/OGB

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