Member of Parliament for Odododiodoo, Edwin Nii Lante Vanderpuye, has alleged that the Akufo-Addo administration is refraining from taking decisive action against illegal mining, commonly known as galamsey, due to concerns over losing electoral votes.
His comments come at a time when there are increasing calls for the government to declare a state of emergency and halt all small-scale mining activities in response to the extensive destruction of water bodies caused by illegal miners.
Speaking on Channel One TV’s The Big Issue, Vanderpuye expressed frustration with the government’s response to the galamsey crisis, accusing the leadership of prioritizing electoral gains over governing effectively.
“The resolution lies in leadership, and that is what has been lacking under this government,” Vanderpuye said.
He added that the current administration’s reluctance to confront the issue stems from its experience in the 2020 general election, when efforts to combat illegal mining led to a decline in votes.
“The government has already been explicit that they are not going to solve this problem because when they tried in 2020, they lost votes,” Vanderpuye alleged.
He further claimed that government officials have made it clear that their primary focus is on winning elections, sometimes at the expense of addressing pressing national challenges.
“Various government officials have said that they cannot continue to lose votes because they are in government for two things: to win the election and to govern the country. The only way they can govern the country is to win the election by making sure that where they are losing votes, they win votes,” he said.
There are growing concerns about the government’s commitment to tackling galamsey, which has severely impacted Ghana’s environment, particularly its water bodies.
While the government has faced criticism for not taking more aggressive measures to address the crisis, it has maintained that it remains committed to protecting the country’s natural resources.