Yaw Buaben Asamoa of the NPP
The governing New Patriotic Party has asked former President John Dramani to stop the politicisation of the fight against illegal mining, popularly referred to as galamsey. The party contends that illegal mining got out of hands under Mr Mahama, adding that if he had tackled the menace, the situation would not have deteriorated to its current state.
Addressing a press conference in Accra yesterday, Yaw Buaben Asamoa, NPP’s director of communications, said rather than channeling his energy in condemning the government’s effort to clamp down on galamsey, to score cheap political points, Mr Mahama should focus on responding to the Airbus bribery scandal.
Throwing hands in despair
He challenged Mr Mahama and the NDC to point out to Ghanaians what they did about the fight against galamsey while in office.
Accusing the NDC of supervising an explosion in the menace, Mr Buaben Asamoa said the NDC virtually gave up on the fight, with its appointees citing “order from above” as a main challenge that hampered the fight.
“Fighting galamsey effectively is also a national security, peace and stability issue. The NPP is challenging John Mahama to justify the explosion in galamsey activities in his tenure, with two ministers giving up on the fight, one of them citing ‘orders from above’,” he said.
Dodging relevant issues
The NPP also called on the NDC to stop being evasive on relevant issues that border on the personality of Mr Mahama, instead of meddling in issues that only seek to create disaffection for the government.
“Whilst the NDC have the right to pick and choose what they will talk about, it is only fair that they respond to issues of deep concern to the country if they genuinely seek to rule,” Mr Buaben said.
“We are yet to hear John Mahama on the disastrous and dangerous state of the Eastern Corridor road, torn apart less than five years after he received a Ford vehicle in appreciation from his favourite contractor.
“We are yet to hear John Mahama on the success of the Year of Return. We are yet to hear John Mahama on the Government settling the full arrears due OMCs. We are yet to hear John Mahama on the impact of the closed fishing season, remember he rather chose to distribute head pans. We are yet to hear John Mahama on the successful completion of the IMF programme that he led us into. We are yet to hear John Mahama on his galamsey control policy,” Mr Buaben stated.
Source: Daily Statesman
