Deputy General Secretary of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Haruna Mohammed, has called on President John Dramani Mahama and his government to render an unqualified apology to the Ghanaian people for what he described as a deceptive approach to the fight against illegal mining, or galamsey.
Speaking on JoyNews’ Newsfile programme on Saturday, June 21, Mr Mohammed accused the government of failing to live up to its promises.
According to him, the current administration has shown double standards by making bold declarations about tackling galamsey, while failing to implement real solutions or enforce laws.
“The Mahama-led government should apologise to Ghanaians for deceiving them with promises of a committed fight against illegal mining when, in fact, the situation has worsened under their watch,” he said.
Haruna Mohammed insisted that despite President Mahama’s public pronouncements, the environmental destruction caused by galamsey has deepened, with rivers and farmlands continually under threat.
“If this government was serious, we would not be witnessing the alarming levels of pollution in our water bodies. It is clear that the political will is lacking,” he charged.
He urged Ghanaians to hold the Mahama government accountable for what he termed a betrayal of public trust.
“The government must stop shifting blame and accept that it has failed the people in this critical area. An apology would be the first step toward rebuilding credibility,” Mr Mohammed added.