Minority Leader in Parliament, Alexander Kwamina Afenyo-Markin

The Minority Leader in Parliament, Alexander Kwamina Afenyo-Markin, has accused the government of failing to act on its promises to tackle the illegal mining menace, popularly referred to as galamsey.

At a press conference on Thursday, May 8, 2025 in response to President John Dramani Mahama's 120 days in office, he criticised the government's inactions, stating that they have become silent on their promised state of emergency to address illegal mining (galamsey).

"The promised state of emergency has vanished, replaced by silence and inaction while the sector minister sheds crocodile tears on national television over sorry state of our rivers, forests and farmland. This is not leadership.

"It is cowardice dressed in empty campaign rhetoric. It, therefore, came without a surprise to the people of Ghana when recently on May Day, Organised Labour, speaking through its Secretary General, boldly condemned the extent to which galamsey is destroying our environment,” he said.

He continued; "And to quote Organised Labour, galamsey has worsened within the few months that the NDC assumed office...Today, Organised Labour is boldly telling us and saying it to the face of the NDC administration that within this short period of governance, the situation has worsened."

During a recent press briefing, the Minister of Lands and Natural Resorces, Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, broke down in tears while vividly describing the destruction caused by illegal mining in the Tano Nimiri Forest Reserve.

JKB/AE

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