Akufo-Addo’s hard line on galamsey shows he won’t run for 2020 – Ephson

The Managing Editor of the Dispatch newspaper, Ben Ephson says President Akufo-Addo has taken a much harsher stance on illegal miners popularly called galamseyers because he is likely to end his Presidency after his first term.

Mr. Ephson believes the President’s actions is a tacit statement that he won’t be running for 2020 polls.

For him, Mr. Akufo-Addo’s reform agenda and his resolve to go the full hog to curb some of the worst excesses under his regime shows he may retire from the political scene by 2020.

“I’ve always had that conviction that some of the things he does he will want to leave a legacy. He has nurtured this dream of becoming a President for a long time. He’d fought for this position all his life. Nana Addo is a seasoned politician and if truly he wanted to go for two terms, his galamsey fight would have come during his second term where he would be bowing out. Take it or leave it, those that this galamsey fight is affecting will be in excess of one million in terms of those who do it and others. And from all indications, maybe he will want to leave a legacy in our political history that he stopped the phenomenon under his regime. His actions paint a picture he is leaving the scene shortly.

The Akufo-Addo/Bawumia administration is known to take a hard line on stopping illegal mining activities in the country.

Over the past five months, his government has embarked on a rigorous exercise to stop the menace in all parts of the country, especially the galamsey plagued enclaves.

Interacting with the media at his maiden Presser with Journalists, President Akufo-Addo reiterated his government’s commitment to fight the menace, insisting he doesn’t fear going all out to stop the menace for any political gain.

“First of all, it is not clear that my name will be on the ballot paper for 2020 and if I will contest, this threat will not stop me from fighting galamsey in the country,” he revealed.