Former President and current flagbearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), John Dramani Mahama, has vowed to arrest and imprison all illegal miners involved in galamsey if he is elected in the upcoming presidential election.
This statement marks a stark reversal from his previous position, where he had promised to free those already imprisoned for engaging in the illegal activity.
Speaking at Aboabo No. 4 in the Dormaa Central Constituency of the Bono Region during his nationwide campaign tour, Mahama declared that an NDC-led administration would impose a complete ban on galamsey and take stringent measures against offenders.
John Mahama
“Not only will the new NDC administration ban galamsey, but we are also going to arrest and prosecute the galamseyers,” he stated firmly.
Mahama’s recent comments come as a surprise, as they contrast with his earlier promises to provide leniency for those involved in illegal mining.
Prior to the 2020 general election, Mahama had pledged to grant amnesty to galamsey miners imprisoned under the current Akufo-Addo administration, questioning the rationale behind incarcerating Ghanaians for mining offenses.
In June 2024, during a media encounter in Accra, Mahama reiterated his promise of amnesty, arguing that many of those prosecuted were victims working under influential figures in the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP).
He suggested they should not have been imprisoned.
However, his recent stance appears to have shifted, with no mention of amnesty in the NDC’s 2024 manifesto. Instead, Mahama is now pledging a full-scale war on galamsey, raising concerns about his consistency on the issue.
Residents in mining communities, whose relatives remain imprisoned, have expressed doubts about whether Mahama would follow through with his earlier promises, given his current rhetoric and the absence of an amnesty plan in his party’s platform.
Mahama’s changing position has sparked debate over his commitment to addressing illegal mining and his broader credibility as a political leader.
As the election approaches, his tougher stance on galamsey will likely continue to be a major topic of discussion.
Source: www.kumasimail.com
