By: Jeremiah Nutsugah
Founder of the Pan African Heritage Museum, and African University College of Communications, Professor Kojo Yankah has expressed skepticism about the ability of President Akufo-Addo and his government to effectively address the illicit small-scale mining practices (Galamsey) between now and the December 7 elections.
Prof. Yankah expressed in his write up on his official Facebook page that the President and his government have failed to protect the nation’s environment and natural resources. He made these comments after questioning the government’s approach to tackling Galamsey and the worsening state of the country’s water bodies.
During an extraordinary meeting of Parliament, Majority and Minority Members of Parliament engaged in a blame game over the issue. Mr. Yankah asked several questions, including: What prevented the inter-ministerial committee on Galamsey from collaborating with the National House of Chiefs and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to address the issue?, Why hasn’t the government organized bipartisan town hall meetings to seek support for the exercise?
Mr. Yankah criticized the government’s approach, stating that “dancing around the subject and trying to justify or parry the blame is itself very hypocritical.”
His comments come amid a heated debate between the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and the New Patriotic Party (NPP) over the Galamsey menace, which culminated in a heated argument on the floor of Parliament on September 3, 2024.
