By Regina Kwapong
First Deputy Majority Whip of the 8th Parliament, Habib Iddrisu, has emphasized that issues regarding the mining sector should steer clear of political agenda.
The focus should be on addressing the challenges within the sector without getting entangled in political debates.
“The mining sector should go beyond politics, and we allow politicians to actually zero it down to say that it’s the problem of politicians”, He made this statement during an interview on GTV on October 17, 2024.
Mr. Habib Iddrisu, in a recent address, highlighted the need for non-politicization of mining issues. He emphasized that political parties should not use mining areas as battlegrounds for competition between Ghana’s main political parties.
During discussions on galamsey, Mr. Iddrisu urged leaders to declare their positions on the ongoing mining challenges in the nation.
He specifically mentioned the NPP government as the only administration successful in combating illegal mining activities, citing instances where NPP candidates lost their seats in the elections 2020 due to their strong stance against galamsey.
Furthermore, Mr. Iddrisu expressed concerns about the detrimental effects of some chiefs’ involvement in galamsey practices.
Many chiefs allocate land to miners, bringing short-term benefits to the communities but overlooking the long-term consequences such as environmental degradation and loss of livelihoods.