Illegal minings now operating officially behind the official residence of Akufo-Addo’s DCE – Sammy Gyamfi
Sammy Gyamfi, the National Communication Officer of the National Democratic Congress has stated that illegal mining otherwise known as galamsey has now become a lucrative business and is being supervised by the appointees of President Akufo-Addo.
According to the outspoken communicator who was addressing the media at the NDC Press Conference at the party’s headquarters on Thursday, appointees of the ruling government have made galamsey a legal enterprise such that people are bold enough to practice it in the open.
Referencing a news publication on Ghanaweb which said “NPP Executives accuse Ellembelle DCE of engaging in illegal mining,” Sammy Gyamfi said the accusation which came from officials of the ruling party shows the level the act has eaten deep into the society.
“Under the watch of Kwasi Bonzoh, galamsey now has become a thriving free-for-all enterprise in Ellembelle. Illegal miners have moved their equipment to the township, they have moved their equipment from the main forest to the main township and actively doing galamsey behind the official residence of the DCE and on the land of the Nkroful Senior High School,” Sammy Gyamfi stated.
“Aside this, ladies and gentlemen is the matter of the DCE for Bosome Freho in the Ashanti Region, Honourable Yaw Danso who was clearly caught on tape directing party people on how they should use Chinese to front their galamsey activities,” adding that “as far back in Monday 1st February 2021, some party executives of the New Patriotic Party and residents of Bosome Freho accused their District Chief Executive, Yaw Danso for engaging in galamsey activities. In fact some residents described him as the kingpin of galamsey in the area who is fronting for Chinese nationals in the area and called on President Akufo-Addo to relieve from his post as the District Chief Executive.”
According to Sammy Gyamfi, the “DCE is clearly heard in the audio that has emerged confessing to receiving 5% of the proceeds of galamsey from someone which translated to an amount of GH₵15,000 every two weeks as agreed between he and the owner of the galamsey concession in the presence of their lawyers”.
Sammy Gyamfi said the instances could not just be mere insinuations or allegations due to the sources and the president ought to have acted by now if he actually was committed to the fight against illegal mining.
He said no action was taken on either of the aforementioned people despite the Ellembelle DCE recently being in the news after he was arrested last September for obstructing the police in the retrieval of missing excavators. This he said was a clear case of the president not being interested in the real fight against the menace but just make statements to deceive Ghanaians about his commitment.
