Justice A. Newton-Offei, a former Head of Writers at the Communications Directorate of the Office of the President at Jubilee House and an International Relations expert, has accused President John Dramani Mahama and his government of reversing their stance on illegal small-scale mining, popularly known as galamsey.
In a statement, Mr. Newton-Offei criticised the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC), alleging that it had abandoned its earlier positions on combating illegal mining, particularly its calls for tougher measures when it was in opposition.
He described President Mahama as the “Ananias of our time”, invoking the biblical figure to accuse the President of dishonesty in his approach to the galamsey menace.
According to Mr. Newton-Offei, the NDC and other critics of the previous New Patriotic Party (NPP) administration had consistently called for a state of emergency to address illegal mining.
He argued that the party had strongly condemned the former government’s handling of galamsey while in opposition and portrayed itself as having the solutions needed to tackle the problem.
Mr. Newton-Offei also questioned the government’s commitment to President Mahama’s campaign promises, particularly the proposed use of artificial intelligence and other technological innovations to combat illegal mining.
He cited the President’s earlier pledge to address the menace swiftly, arguing that the government’s current approach contradicts those commitments.
“John Dramani Mahama vowed to end galamsey within a twinkle of an eye, through deployment of Artificial Intelligence and many novel innovations,” he said.
The former Jubilee House communications official further criticised some religious leaders, academics and journalists who, he claimed, had been vocal in demanding action against galamsey under the previous administration but had become less critical of the current government.
He described their alleged change in position as an “acrobatic summersault”, questioning why individuals who previously advocated stringent measures against illegal mining were now seemingly adopting a different stance.
Mr. Newton-Offei also cited Sammy Gyamfi, who is associated with Ghana’s gold-trading arrangements, as an example of what he considers a shift in the political discourse surrounding illegal mining.
He recalled Mr. Gyamfi’s previous criticism of galamsey and his public appearances at polluted water bodies during the NDC’s time in opposition.
He questioned how those earlier positions aligned with the government’s current approach to the gold sector.
Another major concern raised by Mr. Newton-Offei was the debate surrounding the declaration of a state of emergency to combat illegal mining and its potential implications for the constitutional rights of Ghanaians.
He argued that although the NDC and other critics had previously advocated for such a measure under the Akufo-Addo administration, there had been insufficient public discussion about its possible constitutional implications.
Mr. Newton-Offei’s comments have brought renewed attention to the political debate over galamsey, particularly the consistency of political parties and public figures in their calls for stronger measures to address illegal mining.
