Member of Parliament for Old Tafo, Vincent Ekow Assafuah, has taken a swipe at government over what he describes as a blatant contradiction in its fight against illegal mining.
Assafuah pointed to the inauguration of the Association of China (Ghana) Mining LBG on April 3, 2025, where the Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, joined the Chinese Ambassador to Ghana, Tong Defa, and business mogul Ibrahim Mahama, brother of President John Dramani Mahama, to unveil the new body.
“The government continues to trumpet its so-called commitment to the fight against illegal mining, yet its actions paint a very different picture,” Assafuah stated in a post on Facebook sighted by MyNewsGh.
He argued that the move undermines the ongoing campaign against galamsey, at a time when Ghana’s rivers remain polluted and forest reserves continue to be destroyed.
“The question every Ghanaian must ask is simple: how serious is government about protecting our environment and future when it is openly legitimizing the very interests that have contributed to the destruction of our lands and water bodies?” he queried.
Assafuah referenced recent comments by Bawumia Campaign spokesperson Dennis Miracles Aboagye, who described the situation of water bodies in Agona East as “catastrophic.” He said instead of concrete action, the government was rolling out “the red carpet for more mining ventures.”
“Until there are binding guarantees of transparency, accountability, and genuine benefit for ordinary Ghanaians, the launch of the Association of China (Ghana) Mining must be seen for what it is: a polished betrayal of the national interest and a dangerous entrenchment of state capture,” Assafuah stressed.
He further warned that galamsey is not only an environmental disaster but also a national security threat.
“Every handshake and partnership that sidelines the cries of ordinary Ghanaians only deepens the suspicion that leaders are complicit in this devastation.
“Ghana deserves a consistent, patriotic, and uncompromising fight against galamsey, not mixed signals and dangerous alliances,” he added.
