The opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) has accused former President John Mahama of failing to take decisive action against illegal mining, also known as galamsey.
Speaking at a press conference on Wednesday, the party’s National Communications Director, Richard Ahiagbah, claimed that the National Democratic Congress (NDC) government is more focused on rhetoric than real solutions.
“Mending the instrument will not suffice; a complete repeal of the law will ensure proper enforcement,” Ahiagbah stated, adding that the NDC is “talking more about fighting galamsey instead of taking action.”
Meanwhile, efforts to curb illegal mining have intensified, with a 24-hour joint operation launched by the acting Ashanti Regional Security Coordinator, Captain (Retired) John Kwame Jabari, in collaboration with the Forestry Commission.
The crackdown follows an attack on a Forestry Commission officer on Sunday, March 23, 2025. Captain Jabari emphasized the need for continuous surveillance, noting that illegal miners often operate at night to evade authorities. “We will have a task force tackling them both during the day and at night,” he stated.
To provide transparency on progress, Captain Jabari announced plans to invite the media and Forestry Commission officials on a tour of reclaimed lands within the next week.
“We want to show them the forest reserves we have reclaimed, so it will be vivid evidence and not just a social media war,” he explained. As the government and opposition debate the best approach to ending galamsey, the public remains eager to see whether these enforcement measures will lead to lasting change.
