Dr. Ekua Amoakoh, spokesperson for New Patriotic Party (NPP) flagbearer Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, has accused the National Democratic Congress (NDC) of changing its position on the formalisation of small-scale mining after returning to power.
Speaking in an interview, Dr. Amoakoh said the NPP had previously called for unlicensed small-scale miners to be brought into the formal sector through licensing, training and proper regulation to reduce the environmental damage caused by their activities.
Her comments come amid public debate over remarks by Ghana Gold Board (GoldBod) Chief Executive Officer Sammy Gyamfi on efforts to formalise unlicensed small-scale mining in the country.
Dr. Amoakoh explained that the NPP supported formalisation because years of relying on arrests and security operations had failed to adequately address illegal mining, popularly known as galamsey.
She argued that a more effective approach would involve helping miners operate legally and responsibly while protecting water bodies and the environment.
“What is wrong is that, that was the position of the NPP; that we have tried to fight this matter with guns and police and we’ve done this for years and it doesn’t seem to be working and we’ve come to the realisation that the only way to deal with this is to regularise it, help the people do it in a decent manner so that it doesn’t affect water bodies and it doesn’t cause too much harm to us and then we can exploit the natural resources that have been bestowed on us by God.
“That was the position of the NPP. When the NDC was in opposition, they said no, that was almost an abomination to them. In fact they sought to blur the lines between illegal and legal small-scale mining,” she said.
Dr. Amoakoh stressed that the NPP’s proposal was not simply about allowing unlicensed miners to continue their activities. Rather, she said, it involved providing training in responsible mining, making the licensing process easier and establishing regulations to ensure that mining operations were carried out properly.
According to her, these measures would help miners work within the law while reducing the harm caused to rivers, water bodies and the wider environment.
She further argued that the ongoing debate raised questions about consistency in the positions political parties take on illegal mining.
Dr. Amoakoh accused the NDC of rejecting the formalisation approach while in opposition but defending similar ideas after returning to government.
Her comments add to the political debate over how best to tackle illegal small-scale mining while protecting Ghana’s natural resources and supporting people who depend on mining for their livelihoods.
