Ernest Owusu Bempah, the Deputy Director of Communications for the NPP, has criticised party members who are targeting the current government over galamsey issues.
Owusu Bempah emphasised that NPP members have no moral right to exploit the matter of galamsey for political gain, as some of them were involved in illegal mining, which hindered the former president Akufo-Addo’s efforts to combat galamsey.
Speaking in a self-recorded video shared on X, Ernest Owusu Bempah stated, “I have seen NPP members who have risen, having the moral audacity to fight galamsey, and have the nerve to criticise John Mahama. I, Owusu Bempah, will not go into that tangent when I speak; people think I am just being controversial, but it is a fact”.
He recounted that in 2012, NPP members organised a demo against Mahama for turning Ghana into a galamsey headquarters, but did the same when they came to office in 2016.
Owusu Bempah added, “We were here in 2012 when we organised demonstrations against John Mahama, claiming he had turned Ghana into a galamsey headquarters. Our own party members used galamsey for politics with the sitting president, Akufo-Addo, putting his presidency on the line.
But allegedly, due to the people around him being part of galamsey activities, some of them came to continue the NDC’s mess. So what moral right do we have to even come back and today use galamsey to do politics?”
He further highlighted that, “Akufo-Addo was prepared to fight galamsey, but because some people were doing it under his own watch, allegedly, our own government could not fight to achieve the dreams of Akufo-Addo”.
His comments come on the back of Dennis Miracles Aboagye and other NPP members, who have now suddenly turned into galamsey crusaders.
Dennis Miracles Aboagye has said the fight against illegal mining (galamsey) should transcend partisan politics.
According to Dennis Miracles Aboagye, galamsey is beyond the NPP and the NDC.
Miracles Aboagye called on the Mahama government to step up its fight against illegal mining.
Speaking on Eyewitness News, Mr Aboagye stated, “As at 11:00 am this morning, our drones captured galamseyers in the Pra River mining. I have tagged the minister for government communication in the video so that he will see the damage in the Pra River”.
“All we are asking is for us to at least see the government make an effort, so we can all join in the fight. But if the government is still denying the presence of even the menace, then we are in trouble,” he warned.
He added, “This, for me, is even beyond NPP and NDC”.
Also, Dennis Miracles Aboagye has said he does not support a State of Emergency.
According to Miracles Aboagye, a state of emergency would not necessarily end the menace.
Miracles Aboagye highlighted that the government should rather invest in social mindset reorientation in the fight against galamsey, where the real solutions lie.
Miracles Aboagye added, “Again, I keep saying politics is what is causing the problem for us in the fight against galamsey. I have never supported the call for a state of emergency. I didn’t support it when we were in government, and I don’t support it even now because I don’t think that is the solution”.
“I never supported the ban on small-scale mining… I didn’t support it then, and I won’t support it now, and my reason is simple. We implemented the ban on small-scale mining for two years; it worked, and we saw the water bodies clearing up. Then, when we lifted it, despite all the initiatives the government put in place, we still saw galamsey come back. We can’t go and implement a ban when it has already been done before,” he explained.
Miracles Aboagye added that community involvement is needed rather than drastic political measures.
He added, “Neither do I think a state of emergency may necessarily stop the situation. I think that in addition to all the law enforcement that the government is doing now, which all other governments have been doing, they should simply move in and invest in social mindset reorientation.
“What I saw with my eyes and what I have seen with my eyes today in Dunkwa Offin and Twifo Praso—if we can expose the community to the dire effect and draw their attention to how this thing is destroying their lives, in addition to enforcement, they would help to be able to succeed at it,” Miracles Aboagye added.
Watch the video below:
“We (the NPP) do not have the moral right to criticize Mahama for galamsey”
— SIKAOFFICIAL🦍 (@SIKAOFFICIAL1) September 24, 2025
— Mr. Ernest Owusu Bempah, the Deputy Director of Communications for the NPP, has criticized party members who are targeting the current government over galamsey issues.
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