I lost my job fighting galamsey – Joseph Yammin

Former Deputy Ashanti Regional Minister, under the NDC government, Joseph Yammin, said he lost his job as the head of the anti galamsey committee and also as the Deputy Ashanti Regional Minister for fighting illegal mining popularly known as galamsey operation.

Joseph Yammin who is also a former Deputy Sports Minister, said the galamsey fight is like the clash of the titans, which the president, Nana addo and his NPP government cannot achieve on a silver platter.

Speaking to Kofi Marfo (Sir Richie) during a political discussion on a London based radio station, Hot digital online yesterday, Mr Yammin said, he abandoned his hopes of enforcing the elimination of galamsey operation due to persecution from strong people within and outside the then NDC government, the armed forces and chiefs.

He accused some senior officials and prominent people of allegedly engineering his “downfall” because of his firm anti-galamsey stance.

He said, they felt uncomfortable with his anti-graft crusade and hence the reasons why he was sacked and subsequently replaced. The officials, Yammin claimed, embarked on a mission to ensure he was sacked in their quest to continue profiting from galamsey activities that he observed was deep rooted in the authorities.

The level of graft and other malpractices was so deep-rooted in the country and when I started to fight the vice in my capacity as chairman of the anti galamsey committee, some senior officials and members of the then opposition NPP, did not like the move and instead conspired to ensure my downfall.”

Joseph Yammin added that, when he was at the fore-front to weed out galamsey operation within the Ashanti region, he managed to deport 14 Chinese, 2 Indians and one American ,who were deeply involved in destroying our water bodies for their selfish interest.

Indicating pessimistic signs, he said the president of Ghana, Nana Addo and his Lands and Natural Resources Minister, Peter Amewu, will fail in their bid to arrest illegal mining because of the enemies within the NPP administration.

He mentioned NPP's Ashanti Regional Chairman, Bernard Antwi Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi as a kingpin in galamsey, and lamented that Nana Addo's mission is mission impossible.

In a strong rebuttal, a London based communications member of the new patriotic party Peter Antwi Boasiako said ,Joseph Yammin must bow his head in shame for admitting that officials of his NDC party were corrupt.

He said, Ghanaians must deduct from Joseph Yammins's message and collapse all hopes for the NDC returning to power. Peter Antwi Boasiako added, the NPP will deliver as per every promise.