Dr Tony Aidoo, a former Ambassador to the Netherlands, has told President John Dramani Mahama to kill the illegal mining menace commonly known as galamsey before it kills his cabinet.
His comments come on the back of Dr Omane Boamah and Dr Ibrahim Murtala Mohammed, two cabinet members who passed away following a helicopter crash at Adansi Akrofuom District of the Ashanti Region on Wednesday, August 6.
The helicopter was carrying eight individuals, including three crew members and five passengers, among them the ministers, a presidential staffer identified as Samuel Sarpong, and the ministers’ security detail.
Muniru Mohammed, Acting Deputy National Security Coordinator, and Samuel Aboagye, a former Parliamentary Candidate, and Samuel Sarpong, Vice Chairman of NDC, have all been confirmed dead.
The crew members are Squadron Leader Peter Bafemi Anala, Flying Officer Manin Twum-Ampadu, and Sergeant Ernest Addo Mensah.
According to Dr Tony Aidoo, President Mahama must not let the eight people who died in last Wednesday’s helicopter crash go in vain.
He emphasised that the best tribute to the eight fallen Ghanaian heroes is for John Mahama to end the galamsey menace once and for all.
Dr Aidoo noted that victims, including two cabinet ministers, lost their lives in the line of duty in an initiative to tackle galamsey.
Speaking on Newsfile on Saturday, August 9, Dr Tony Aidoo stated, “Why were they in the air? They were in the air because they were going to fight galamsey”.
“President Mahama must kill the galamsey menace before it ends his members [of cabinet].”
He added, “God gives, yes, but God does not take innocent lives. People die by their own destruction or by lifestyle. What is President Mahama waiting for? Yesterday, I heard Kwame Mpianim say we must ban galamsey for three months.
In fact, my first reaction after the Chief of Staff gave us the details and confirmed the death was to send the message directly to President Mahama, and I said these eight patriotic souls lost their lives in the fight against galamsey.
So for God’s sake, Mr President, don’t let them die in vain. Stop the galamsey now. That’s the best tribute we can say to these patriotic deaths.”
Dr Tony Aidoo further revealed his relationship with the late Dr Omane Boamah and Dr Sarpong, and Dr Murtala Mohammed.
He added, “To be frank, I had a personal connection with only three of the unfortunate victims of the helicopter crash — Dr Omane Boamah and Dr Sarpong and Dr Murtala Mohammed”.
“Anytime I remember the departed, it is usually with teary eyes, but I am not here to eulogise nor to pay another apologetic tribute. This will be a very tiny voice among the worldwide tributes following the avoidable national tragedy”.
Dr Tony Aidoo, added, “Even though faith says we must eulogise the dead, we must look behind and look for the cause — why did they die? People will say, ‘Oh, the Lord gave us and the Lord takes.’ I say that God did not take. It was we who gave by our mistake of an avoidable death.”
Meanwhile, Dr Tony Aidoo, in a separate interview some weeks ago, before the helicopter crash, warned John Mahama about the galamsey menace.
Speaking in an interview on Joy News on Thursday, July 17, Dr Tony Aidoo stated, “If the goodwill that the people of Ghana gave the NDC is going to be dissipated, it will be due to inaction on galamsey and corruption issues.
If the government is unable to solve the galamsey issue, I will be disappointed because it was an electoral promise, and you cannot take Ghanaians for a ride,” he stated.
He warned, “Akufo-Addo didn’t care, so President Mahama must not think that Ghanaians do not care about the fight. If he doesn’t solve the galamsey issues, the Ghanaian people will vote the NDC government out in 2028”.
“Six months is long enough to solve galamsey. The Blue Water Guards and the GoldBoard Taskforce are commendable policies, but he should stop the galamsey,” he added.
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