The New Patriotic Party (NPP) parliamentary candidate for Amenfi East, Ernest Frimpong, has been caught on video urging the assault of soldiers and other security officials who might attempt to interfere with the activities of small-scale miners.
In the video, Mr Frimpong addresses a group of small-scale miners, asserting that operations such as “Operation Halt” and “Galamstop” have been officially terminated, and soldiers no longer have the authority to conduct such operations.
“Operation halt, galamstop, whatever, whatever, soldiers that ambush you, we have cancelled all those operations and officially they do not have permission to run such operations again.
“So, if anyone comes to your site, you have the right to question him on his mission there,” he told the miners in the Twi language.
“If he says he is on patrol, then that is good because the patrol by the police and the security services protects you and reduces the incidents of robbery. So if from your own will you part ways with 3 million, 5 million or 10 million for him to use for fuel, you are just helping him and I won’t speak against it.”, he added.
“But if anyone comes around and says because he is a soldier, leave the site and dismantle your machines, don’t be moved by the uniform he is wearing, if he beats you, equally beat him. Fight him, I will come to your defense,” he charged the miners to a rousing applause.
He advised the miners to question anyone who shows up at their site about their mission. If the response is that they are on patrol, he suggested it is a good thing as it offers protection and reduces robbery.
He even mentioned that if miners willingly offer money for fuel to these patrols, it is a form of assistance and he would not oppose it.
Ghana has been struggling with the impacts of rampant illegal mining, known as galamsey, which has led to the destruction of water bodies and forest cover in recent years.