Felix Kwakye Ofosu, a Special Assistant to Former President John Dramani Mahama has reacted to a comment by the Executive Director of the Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) Sulemana Braimah to the effect that the National Democratic C0nress (NDC) exploited the issues of illegal small scale mining (Galamsey) for votes in the 2020 general elections.
He disagreed with the comment and intimated that calling for amnesty for arrested galamseyers did not amount to political exploitation.
Mr Suleman Braimah in his comments described the action of the NDC and Mr Mahama as partisanship.
In a tweet on the galamsey issues, he said “Ahead of the 2020 election, former President Mahama and his NDC party, exploited the Galamsey issue for votes.
“That was not patriotism, it was partisanship. The Galamsey fight needs the commitment of all.”
Ahead of the 2020 election, former President Mahama and his NDC party, exploited the Galamsey issue for votes. That was not patriotism, it was partisanship. The Galamsey fight needs the commitment of all.
— Sulemana Braimah (@sulemana) October 6, 2022
But in a response, Mr Kwakye Ofosu who is also a former Deputy Minister of information said “Not sure how calling for amnesty for small time galamseyers amounts to political exploitation.
“How did that call stop Akufo-Addo from acting? When jailed criminals are pardoned, does that stop new criminals from being punished? Single out Akufo-Addo for blame.”
Not sure how calling for amnesty for small time galamseyers amounts to political exploitation . How did that call stop Akufo-Addo from acting?When jailed criminals are pardoned,does that stop new criminals from being punished? Single out Akufo-Addo for blame. https://t.co/k0S70dCWJ7
— Felix Kwakye Ofosu (@FelixKwakyeOfo1) October 6, 2022
Their comments come at a time President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo said that the fight against Galamsey cost him and his party, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) significant losses in the 2020 general elections especially in the mining areas.
This, he said, shows that the commitment he made to put his presidency on the line in the fight against galamsey was not a reckless statement.
Speaking during a meeting with the National House of Chiefs and some Municipal Metropolitan and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs) in Kumasi on Wednesday October 5, he said “Since I took office I have made it a central feature of my presidency to lead in the efforts to rid our country of this menace which we all now call galamsey. It has not been popular and we have not got the result that I was looking for.
Excerpts of my remarks to the National House of Chiefs and MMDCEs. 1/2 #FightAgainstGalamseyMenace #StopGalamseyNow pic.twitter.com/n15NVxEOdw
— Nana Akufo-Addo (@NAkufoAddo) October 5, 2022
“Indeed, in the last elections of 2020 my stance on the issue cost my party and I significant losses in the mining communities, it tuned out that my statement that I was putting my presidency on the line in the fight against galamsey was neither bombast or recklessness. It was the simple truth.”
By Laud Nartey|3news.com|Ghana