What President Akufo-Addo said about galamsey at an NPP executive committee meeting

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has warned executives of the New Patriotic Party who own illegal mining concessions to regularize their activities and undertake environment-friendly mining, Kennedy Agyapong, the Member of Parliament for Assin Central has revealed.

Kennedy Agyapong said on Net 2 TV that President Akufo-Addo told the executives in a meeting that he is aware of their activities and would not hesitate to have them apprehended if they do not embrace the government’s drive for safe and legal small-scale mining.

“President Akufo-Addo warned them at a National Executive Committee meeting. I commend him for that. He warned that if they don’t legalize their operations and conduct safe and legal mining, they would be arrested. That is what made me a bit happy.”

Kennedy Agyapong disclosed that he will, in the coming days, publish a list of some leading members of the NPP and NDC who own galamsey companies.

“I have a list of twenty-four companies owned by leading members of NPP and NDC. I didn’t know we were going to discuss it, I would have brought the list. I will expose all of them. I will mention their names. I will reveal the NPP and NDC persons behind it because things are getting messy. The man (President Akufo-Addo) is fighting but his own NPP people are thwarting his efforts.”

He advised the government to embark on a stakeholder engagement with the communities and explain to them why it has become necessary for them to join the government nip galamsey in the bud.

“With all due respect, Mr President, change the approach because it won’t work. They are applying force but if you don’t conscientise the people that they will be part of the reclamation and be paid some amount, it won’t work. We should engage all the communities and let them know that their lives are under threat as well. I feel the government should engage the communities,” he said.