Former Senior Presidential Aide and National Democratic Congress (NDC) stalwart, Dr. Tony Aidoo, has warned President John Mahama to decisively deal with illegal mining, commonly known as galamsey, within the next six months or risk losing the 2028 elections.
He said the continued presence of galamsey poses a serious threat to the environment and public health, noting that contaminated water and food are slowly killing Ghanaians.
“If you are drinking water, you are scared. The food you eat, you are scared whether it is contaminated by metals,” he said on Joy News, adding that fear and insecurity have gripped many communities.
Dr. Aidoo criticised the previous Akufo-Addo-led government for its failure to resolve the crisis, cautioning Mahama not to repeat that mistake.
“Akufo-Addo didn’t care, so don’t say Ghanaians don’t care about your administration. If you don’t solve the galamsey problem, in 2028 Ghanaians will vote the NDC out,” he warned.
Dr. Aidoo also cited reports of a Municipal Chief Executive in the Ashanti Region allegedly involved in illegal mining, questioning President Mahama’s silence on the matter.
“So far, there is no response from this man. What is the President doing?” he asked.
While acknowledging initiatives like the Blue Water Project and making the Precious Minerals Marketing Company (Gold Board) the sole legal gold buyer, Dr. Aidoo said these policies are inadequate without eradicating illegal mining itself.
“Stop the galamsey, stop the damage to our waters and forests. Programs will fail if illegal mining continues unchecked,” he said.
He called for the deployment of military force to clamp down on illegal miners.
“Bring 1,000 men, two battalions, and fetch them out. If necessary, shoot to kill because they are killing us,” he asserted, describing the menace as an assault on Ghana’s territorial integrity.
Although Dr. Aidoo rated the Mahama-led government 70 percent overall, he downgraded it to 60 percent due to its weak fight against galamsey.
“Six months is long enough. Galamsey must be eliminated and uprooted from our society. It doesn’t matter who profits from it,” he concluded.
Source: Kareen Tei
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