A member of the communications team of the New Patriotic Party, Dennis Miracles Aboagye, has criticized President John Dramani Mahama over his supposed inability to fight illegal mining known as galamsey.

He said the president and some persons who claim to be 'neutrals' weaponised and politicised the social issue during the era of Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.

“Two weeks to an election, you were calling for the government to shut down the country and declare a state of emergency. You did this not because you sincerely wanted galamsey to end but simply because you felt it was your way of making the government unpopular so you win an election.

“Now, you are reaping what you sowed, and painfully, the entire country has to suffer the consequences of your selfishness,” he said.

Miracles Aboagye, citing the president’s social media post in 2024 on his resolve to grant amnesty to some convicted galamsey operators, said “Against all wise counsel, you milked it, lied on the former president, his vice-president, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia and his government, called them thieves and galamseyers and swore that you know for a fact it is the president himself and his officials involved in the galamsey criminality.

He alleged that the president made a promise to the jailed illegal miners that he would grant them amnesty in exchange for votes.

“You promised the criminals who have been arrested, trialed and jailed for this wicked act against nature, that you will grant them amnesty when they vote for you. You assured them of releasing all of them and given them back their excavators” he said.

Miracles Aboagye said that the president ignored calls to not politicise galamsey issues due to his quest for power.

“We warned you, we advised you, we told you, not to politicize galamsey because it is going to be the country’s nemesis, but you deliberately ignored and continued on your selfish quest for power using galamsey as a tool” he added.

He questioned the president on the deployment of physical force in the fight against the menace when he had promised to use Artificial Intelligence to battle the illegal miners.

Miracles Aboagye stated that the NDC leaders before the 2024 election said that “any president who wills, can stop galamsey in a week."

He continued "Unlike you and your cohorts, we will not use galamsey for politics. We will support you to end this nonsense once and for all to save our motherland. Whatever you need to do, let’s do it together to win this battle” he added.

VA/EK

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