Okatakyie Afrifa-Mensah, the host of Angel FM’s morning show, has praised Kwami Sefa Kayi, the renowned broadcaster, for his efforts to combat illegal mining, commonly referred to as galamsey.
Afrifa-Mensah commended Sefa Kayi for utilizing his Kokrokoo platform to raise awareness about the devastating effects of galamsey on the environment.
However, Afrifa-Mensah has expressed dissatisfaction with what he perceives as a lack of sincerity in Sefa Kayi’s approach.
He argued that while Sefa Kayi publicly denounces the issue, he fails to address the problem directly when those involved in galamsey appear on his show.
Afrifa-Mensah claimed that Sefa Kayi’s program features prominent figures from the galamsey sector regularly and suggests that Sefa Kayi should use his platform to confront these individuals openly.
“I have seen the comments by Kwami Sefa Kayi and I believe it’s a good call. However, it is high time the senior journalists in this country stop the hypocrisy. I like Kwami Sefa Kayi, but the hypocrisy needs to end.
“All the big names in the galamsey canker appear on his show every morning. He hosts those people every morning. He knows them, so why can’t he tell them to their faces? There are journalists and politicians involved, and he knows them.
“We all respect him, but the hypocrisy must stop. If he knows that galamsey is bad, then he should be honest enough to name the people involved. So when they come on his show, he should tell them. He is friends with all the people involved,” he said on Angel FM.
Afrifa-Mensah believes that Sefa Kayi’s relationships with influential figures in the galamsey industry lead to a form of hypocrisy.
He urges Sefa Kayi to be more transparent and direct in his criticism, emphasizing that if he genuinely opposes galamsey, he should name the individuals involved and hold them accountable on air.
“You know what I fear? Do you know that we are creating a rebel armed force? We are creating rebels out of this (galamsey). So let’s say about four hundred people are wielding 100 guns; these galamseyers are armed. So, bit by bit, by the time we realize, they’ve turned into what is known as a ragtag army, who are soldiers not properly trained but are armed and know how to fire rifles.
“If they decide that they will block the Accra-Kumasi highway, they can do that easily. That is the problem we are faced with. When it comes to the issue of security, I have an interest. If these galamseyers, about 300 of them, decide to block that very important road, what will we do? By the time security personnel are deployed to that area, they will have finished their operation long ago,” Sefa Kayi stated.
This critique comes in response to Sefa Kayi’s recent warnings about the potential security threats posed by galamsey.
Sefa Kayi has highlighted the risk of creating armed groups from the galamsey community, which could pose a significant threat to national security.
He expressed concerns that these individuals could potentially disrupt major infrastructure, such as the Accra-Kumasi highway, due to their growing numbers and access to weapons.