Galamsey beyond the NPP, NDC arguments – Afenyo-Markin

Minority Leader and Member of Parliament for Effutu, Alexander Afenyo-Markin, has called for an end to the growing politicisation of Ghana’s fight against illegal mining, popularly known as galamsey.

He warned that the partisan approach between the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the National Democratic Congress (NDC) is undermining efforts to resolve the menace.

Speaking at a seminar organised by the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA) on Ghana’s natural resource management regime, the Minority Leader expressed disappointment over how political actors have turned the issue of illegal mining into a campaign weapon. He noted that such divisive politics is derailing progress and distracting attention from the real goal of protecting Ghana’s environment and natural resources.

“During the 2020 campaign, the message was that they [NPP] came to take your food away, so vote against them. And the debate kept going to where we are. If we do the blame game thing, we will not get anywhere,” he lamented.

Afenyo-Markin stressed the need for a united national approach to tackle the problem, urging both political parties and citizens to view the galamsey crisis as a collective challenge rather than a political talking point. According to him, unity of purpose, not partisanship, is the key to restoring the country’s degraded lands and polluted water bodies.

“I think it goes beyond the NPP, NDC arguments. I think as a nation, we need a whole national orientation,” he said.

The Effutu MP also admitted that both past and present governments share responsibility for the current state of Ghana’s environment. He emphasised that leaders, institutions, and citizens must all take accountability for their role in allowing illegal mining to persist.

“Frankly speaking, I think we all failed our nation. We have to let the authorities know that we have no other alternatives; this must stop,” Afenyo-Markin declared.