The Transport Operators Association of Ghana has given former President John Dramani Mahama a 14-week ultimatum to publicly declare his stance on illegal mining, aka gamasey, or face their wrath.
The Association claims the former President’s promise to give amnesty to persons jailed for their involvement in galamsey is a threat to the fight against galamsey.
Public Relations Officer for the Association, Mr. Kwaku Boateng, asserted that the NDC and its candidate have not demonstrated their key position on the fight against galamsey.
In a recent interview on Rainbow Radio 87.5fm’s Nyankonton Mu Nsem, he criticized a political leader’s promise to grant amnesty to those imprisoned for galamsey, citing the harm caused by illegal mining. Despite the current government’s efforts to combat galamsey, including burning excavators and shutting down sites in 2020, NDC members allegedly promised to permit continued mining in exchange for votes, leading to NPP losses in mining communities. This development is alarming considering galamsey’s impact on water bodies. We request that he publicly denounce galamsey within 14 days or face protests over his party’s apparent disregard for environmental protection.
Drivers in Ghana are prepared to demonstrate against him if he fails to tell Ghanaians his position on galamsey. That is our call. As we speak, some of our leaders are importing water, but as drivers, we don’t have the capacity to import water, and so we cannot allow our water bodies to be destroyed by a few politicians who do not have the country at heart. We have to fight it now and not allow politicians to engage in politics with the galamsey.’’
He added that ‘’there is the possibility that Mahama can be elected President, and so he must declare his stance on the matter, or else we will storm Accra together with our wives and demonstrate against him,’’ he noted.
By: Rainbowradioonline.com/Ghana
