Minority Leader and Member of Parliament for Effutu, Alexander Afenyo-Markin, has admitted that the nation’s collective efforts to tackle illegal mining — popularly known as galamsey — have fallen short, blaming the failure in part on political interference and partisanship.
Speaking at a seminar organised by the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA) on Tuesday, October 7, Mr. Afenyo-Markin expressed concern over how political narratives, particularly during election seasons, have undermined progress in the fight against illegal mining.
“We all failed our nation. During the 2020 campaign, the message was that the NPP came to take your food away, so vote against them. That messaging played a role in our losses in mining communities,” he said.
He noted that while the New Patriotic Party (NPP) government attempted to crack down on illegal mining, political opponents, particularly the then-opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), capitalised on the economic impact of the crackdown to gain support in affected areas.
Mr. Afenyo-Markin stressed that illegal mining is a national issue, not a partisan one, and urged political actors to shift from blame games to a more collaborative approach.
“If we continue the blame game, we won’t move forward. This issue goes beyond party lines. We need a united front and a change in mindset if we are serious about protecting our natural resources,” he added.
His remarks come amid growing public frustration over the environmental destruction caused by galamsey and the apparent lack of sustained political will to end it.
