The Mayor of Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA), Samuel Pyne, has accused Felix Kwakye Ofosu, the Minister of State in charge of Government Communications, of exhibiting double standards in the fight against illegal mining, commonly known as galamsey.
According to Sam Pyne, Felix Kwakye Ofosu was vocal in criticizing the previous New Patriotic Party (NPP) government for its handling of galamsey, urging them to take decisive action to protect the environment. However, Pyne claims that Kwakye Ofosu’s stance has shifted under his own government.
Speaking during a panel discussion on Peace FM’s Kokrokoo programme on April 11, 2025, Pyne described Kwakye Ofosu as an “unprincipled character” for holding contradictory positions on the issue.
“Remember in 2024, Felix was on radio and TV telling the NPP government that we have 15,000 soldiers and 40,000 police, so we should use them to fight galamsey. And one of the most dangerous things in the world is a double-standard person, someone who holds two different stances on an issue. Such unprincipled characters,” Pyne remarked.
Meanwhile, Felix Kwakye Ofosu has stated that the fight against illegal mining should be a lifelong commitment rather than a time-bound activity.
In an interview with Channel 1 Television, Kwakye Ofosu argued that timelines are not imperative in addressing the menace of galamsey.
He emphasized the need for continuous vigilance and demonstrable commitment from the government to tackle the issue effectively.
“First of all, I am not sure that a timeline is the conversation we should be having. I think it should be a lifelong activity. The point is that we cannot guarantee that people will stop wanting to do galamsey. Every time that somebody plans to do galamsey and actually starts doing it, it is the duty of the state to fight it.
“To the extent that humans are such that they will always want to do something contrary to the law, we must remain eternally vigilant. What matters is that people see demonstrable commitment to fighting it.
“Such that if you are engaged in galamsey or I am engaged in galamsey, we will be stopped by the government and action will be taken. I think that is what people want rather than limiting yourself to say in two months I will fight galamsey,” Kwakye Ofosu explained.
AM/KA
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