NDC demands display of excavators, and other seized mining equipment from ‘galamseyers’
The National Democratic Congress is demanding an exhibition of all seized equipment from illegal miners in the fight against ‘galamsey.’
The party took its fight for accountability to the banks of River Pra to call out the government to account for the excavators and other equipment seized from illegal mining sites.
With the brownish-looking river as it backdrop for the well-attended press conference on Sunday, the National Communications Officer of the NDC, Sammy Gyamfi, said, “We insist that a public exhibition of all 900 excavators, 2,779 weapons and ammunition and the 4,045 other mining equipment confiscated must be held in the spirit of transparency and to the benefit of all Ghanaians.”
With the government coming under heavy criticism, for its failure to account for earth-moving machines and other equipment seized from the sites, the NDC National Communication Officer believed there was a national security threat ahead of the election 2020.
“We are terrified at the prospect of all these weapons finding their way into the hands of hoodlums belonging to NPP vigilante groups in an election year,” he said.
Several seized ‘galamsey’ excavators missing – Minister reveals
The outspoken Communications Officer accused President Akufo-Addo of sitting unconcerned as top members of his party engaged in illegal mining with impunity.
He then launched into names that have been tossed around as being brains behind some of the country’s murky waters, ploughed by excavators, mined and polluted by foreign and local miners in search of gold.
“Recent revelations of the missing 500 excavators, and the illegal mining activities of government officials such as Prof. Frimpong-Boateng, Charles Bissue, Horace Ekow Ewusi, and NPP officials, notably, John Boadu and Chairman Wontumi, shows that Akufo-Addo’s so-called fight against ‘galamsey’ was a sham from day one.
“These latest revelations of thievery and massive corruption confirm our long-held position that President Akufo-Addo’s so-called fight against ‘galamsey’ was a well-thought-out masterplan, designed to take over the illicit trade, and in turn use its proceeds to fund the New Patriotic Party (NPP)”, he alleged.