Senior Political Science lecturer at the University of Ghana, Dr. Kwame Asah-Asante, has stated that any politician who supports illegal mining, given its devastating impact on the country’s natural resources, should be condemned.
His remarks come in response to the New Patriotic Party’s parliamentary candidate for Amenfi East, Ernest Frimpong, who urged illegal miners to confront soldiers attempting to stop their activities.
In a widely circulated video, Mr Frimpong is seen advising a group of alleged illegal miners to resist military officers patrolling the area and trying to evict them, emphasizing that no military personnel had been authorized to manage the sites and encouraging miners to defend themselves if necessary.
Western Regional Minister Kwabena Okyere Darko-Mensah, who also heads the region’s Security Council, was also present at the forum.
Discussing the issue on the JoyNews AM Show, Dr. Asah-Asante emphasized that such individuals should not be permitted to hold public office.
“Look at the effect of galamsey on the production of food, on the production of cocoa and then on health. Look at the consequences that we have from these illegal activities and what even the country has not turned its attention to; the issue with our neighbors.
“How we pollute their water bodies and sooner than later they are going to take us on. Look at the kidney problems that we have, which a lot have been attributed to the fact that we have poisonous substances in our waterbodies.
“So for somebody who is holding a political office to urge people along this negative path, I believe it is a wrong move. These type of people should not be encouraged to hold public office because all they want is to have political power and it doesn’t matter how society survives or not”.
He also urged security agencies to detain the NPP Parliamentary Candidate for questioning to deter others from inciting the public against police and military personnel while they perform their duties.
“If that is what the man is saying, then I think the security people must talk to him’, he stressed.
Mr. Ernest Frimpong has clarified suggestions that he encouraged illegal miners to persist in their activities and defend themselves against military personnel in the area.
Speaking on Joy FM’s Midday News on Sunday, June 9, Mr. Frimpong confirmed that he was the person in the video but denied interacting with illegal miners, explaining that he was addressing miners in the community.
“I am saying that if the people in uniform can go to the length of engaging civilians in a business to torment miners who are legally working, then, they should be exposed because once you do that, you are deviating from what you are supposed to do,” he said.
He also alleged that legal miners are attacked, extorted, and have their equipment destroyed by individuals linked to the NDC who have connections in the security service. He stated that this is done to create dissatisfaction with the government, which is why he gave the advice.